PDP junks possibility of fresh polls in J&K

SRINAGAR: In a strong indication that the People’s Democratic Party may be ready for government formation after weeks of dithering, top party official Naeem Akhtar on Monday said the PDP is not considering fresh elections in Jammu & Kashmir.

“We’ve not thought about fresh elections in the state. Government formation is under discussion,” Akhtar told reporters at a function at the grave of late chief minister Mufti Moahmmed Sayeed at Bijbehara in Anantnag.

Akhtar was responding to a specific question whether fresh elections were round the corner considering the long delay in government formation since Mufti’s death on January 7.

“The government will be formed at an appropriate time in the state if the alliance is written in our fate,” Akhtar further said, adding, “Some BJP members are going to meet Mehbooba-ji today.”

BJP general secretary Ram Madhav was due to visit Srinagar late last week for a meeting with PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, but his visit was later cancelled.

Meanwhile, Mehbooba offered ‘fateha’ prayers at her father’s grave in Dara Shikhoh garden in Bijbehara. She was accompanied by her mother Gulshah Begum, brother Tassaduq Mufti, sister Rubaiya Sayeed and other members of the family.

PDP MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig in Jammu said the alliance between the BJP and PDP had not broken and that the PDP wants implementation of agenda of alliance in its true spirit.