For the first time after death of the Mufti Sayeed, the PDP declared last week that it will soon form the government with its alliance partner. “We will be operating within the framework already formulated by the PDP under Mufti Saheb and the BJP”, PDP chief spokesman Mehmoob Baig has reportedly said. Neither PDP nor BJP had set any pre-condition for government formation.

Apparently, as Beg says, the delay was because “we were mourning the death of our leader and the government could not have been formed during the mourning period”. Once Mehbooba comes out of mourning, “we will have a government in coalition with the BJP. Everything between coalition partners has been sorted out”, he has been quoted as saying. Beg is in touch with different leaders, especially the BJP leaders, for formation of the government. On its part, the BJP has made it clear that it is ready to support the leader to be elected by the PDP as per existing arrangement and it was for Mehbooba’s-led party to take the first step. A senior BJP leader said the government will be formed shortly and there is no bargaining from either side.

Before a decision on formation of the government is taken, the PDP has called for a “review of the progress of the agenda of the alliance”. On its part, the centre rushed Union finance secretary, Ratan Watal to meet Mehbooba to assuage her feelings on central aid. Meanwhile, senior PDP leader Naeem Akhtar reportedly said “we will review the progress of the agenda of alliance we drafted. It was a common vision of the Prime Minister and Mufti Sahib. We are reviewing how much of it has been achieved.”

In reply to a question whether review of the “agenda of alliance” also meant review of the PDP alliance with the BJP, Akhtar said a decision on the review rested with Mehbooba. “She will discuss it with senior party leaders and ministers of the Mufti cabinet especially Beg Sahib. And, she will decide whether a committee should be formed to review it or not”.

The PDP believes that coalition government has not followed the “agenda of alliance” drafted by the two parties. “The agenda has to be implemented”, Akhtar said. “The power projects have not been returned, there has been no progress on vacation of land by the Army, on smart cities, and internal dimension of Kashmir. J&K is a national concern. You can’t delay with it so casually,” he said.

The PDP is also upset over the last minute changes to the special package for J&K. The Centre, PDP sources claimed, not only reduced the flood relief and rehabilitation package but also left of Rs. 40,000 crore, earmarked for power projects, from the package. The PDP’s stance has rattled the BJP leadership and Watal was sent to Srinagar to ally apprehensions of Mehbooba and give certain assurances. He also assured her that release of special package fund would be expedited.

Another senior PDP leader reportedly said “we formed an alliance with the BJP in most difficult circumstances and reposed our trust in the BJP leadership. We feel the trust has been betrayed. There was clear agreement on the transfer of power projects in the agenda for alliance but the Centre removed that from the package”.

There is also a division within the PDP regarding the party’s handling of the coalition after Mufti’s death. A section of the BJP leadership believes that raising such issues before government formation is counter-productive. It is, however, clear that neither the PDP nor the BJP has a choice to form a government without each other. Neither can afford another election. “If we have to go with the BJP, why do we have to create such a ruckus in public”, a senior BJP leader said.

BJP leaders, however, were guarded in their comments. “Officially we have not received any signal from the PDP”, said a senior BJP leader Nirmal Singh who was deputy chief minister in the Mufti government. (IPA Service)