RIYAZ UL KHALIQ
SRINAGAR
As Peoples Democratic Party rejected National Conference’s ‘Outside Support Offer’ to form government in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed is moving to Jammu Thursday evening.
Sources in the party said that Mufti Sayeed shall be staying in Jammu for ‘weather reasons’.
They added that daughter of Sayeed and MP South Kashmir, Mehbooba Mufti shall be in Srinagar to oversee party affairs.
December 23 assembly poll results threw up a hung house with PDP emerging as a major political party with 28 seats but unable to form government which needs at least 44 members. BJP followed with 25 seats.
Post results, PDP found its arch rival NC supporting it unconditionally but it turned down the offer. Congress too appealed many a times PDP to form a ‘secular’ alliance.
When former CM Omar Abdullah resigned from caretaker CM’s position paving way for Governor’s rule, the NC formally sent a letter to Rajbhavan extending unconditional outside support to PDP to form government.
To discuss the support offer from NC, PDP had said that it shall convene its Political Affairs Committee (PAC) to discuss NC’s support offer but it did not materialise yet, somehow.
“There was a moment when PAC was called but then the meeting did not took place,” an MLA-elect, who wished to remain anonymous, said adding, “there was no word about the proposed meeting after that call.”
Though speculations are high that PDP may join BJP, which may take some more time, all eyes have been set on Rajya Sabha elections which are slated for February 07 that might give instances of party alliances.
Since the last leg of assembly poll campaigning, Mufti Sayeed has not spoken a word about government formation. He has remained still at his Fairview residence at Gupkar and went out once for a medical check up.
When all hotel rooms were booked for New Year celebrations, Mufti Sayeed went to Gulmarg with his close family and stayed there for a couple of nights.
