J&K Governor issues ultimatum to BJP, PDP, asks them to clear stand on govt formation by tomorrow

Srinagar: In view of the persisting deadlock over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir following the demise of former chief minister Mufti Mohd Sayeed, the state's Governor on Monday asked BJP and PDP - the alliance partners – to clarify their stand on the issue by Tuesday.

As per reports, Governor NN Vohra has send a letter to the PDP and BJP leadership here asking them to clarify their stand on government formation in J&K.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has also called a legislature party meeting today to discuss the issue of government formation.

The PDP has indicated that it won`t go ahead with the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party if the agenda of alliance stitched under the leadership of former chief minister Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was not implemented in letter and spirit.

Addressing party workers in Srinagar on Sunday, Mehbooba Mufti said the party will take a call on government formation as and when it was confident that the vision and mission of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed will be carried forward.

The new government is yet to be formed even three weeks after the death of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7.

With the 10-month-old alliance between the BJP and the PDP appearing be reaching a tipping point, media reports claimed that pdP chief Mufti is in no mood to compromise on the party's core ideology even if that meant going back to the people.

The signal from the party had been mixed, given that a section of leaders at the meeting were in favour of immediate government formation.

The meeting came amid the suspense over the government formation of the state that had started since the death of Mufti's father on January 7. Mufti, who was expected to succeed him, had been reluctant to take oath.

Initially, it was said she was mourning for her father. But the political uncertainty grew with reports that she had been upset with the BJP over the Centre's tardiness over the economic package and flood relief for the state, which is currently under President's Rule.