KL Report
SRINAGAR
With Rajya Sabha polls slated for February 7, it seems Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) have reached to some understanding over seat sharing agreement.
Both the parties will field two candidates each for February 7 polls and support each other to ensure their victory. While PDP announced names of Nazir Ahmad Laway and Fayaz Ahmad Mir as its candidates for the two seats, the BJP is yet to announce its candidates.
PDP Chief Spokesman Nayeem Akhtar told KNS that seat sharing is a necessary scenario in the present situation. “We have 28 seats and are single largest party. But the minimum to secure one RS seat is 29 votes in the house of 87 members. No party in the present scenario can hope to get a seat on its own unless all contest separately and get support of some independents,” he said.
“We will have to have a seat sharing arrangement with one of the parties to safeguard PDP interests and try to get in combination with that party and win all the four seats. It will involve give-n-take,” Akhtar said.
Asked whether they have reached to a consensus with the BJP he neither denied nor confirmed. “Why we have fielded two candidates only? Seat sharing with some party is necessary. Whichever party we go ahead we have to leave seats for them. We are in a situation where seat sharing and floor management is thrust on us,” he said without elaborating.
A senior state BJP leader told KNS that party high command has invited the top state leadership to New Delhi for holding deliberations over the issue of seat sharing and government formation.
