BJP conclave for dialogue among stakeholders to end Kashmir violence

Jammu: A BJP-organised conclave in Jammu and Kashmir has sought dialogue between all stakeholders to end the ongoing spell of violence in the Valley.

The conclave, organized by Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary and point man on J&K affairs Ram Madhav, at the Patnitop hill station in Doda district was attended by senior party leaders from the state and many intellectuals associated with the BJP in addition to prominent members of the RSS.

Sources in the BJP told IANS during the brain-storming session, there were strong voices for a dialogue between all stakeholders within the state to end the present cycle of violence.

However they clarified that these were just "opinions".

"These are just opinions expressed during the deliberations and they do not represent the stand of either the BJP high command or the central government," said a party source to a query whether the party was in favour of offering an unconditional dialogue to different stakeholders in the state including the separatists.

Same sources said if approved by the party high command, the involvement of stakeholders would be at "Track Two" level.

Ram Madhav was instrumental in forging an alliance between the BJP and the Peoples Democratic Party that brought the coalition government into power in the state in 2015.

He was the co-author of the 'agenda of alliance' along with senior PDP leader Haseeb Drabu, now the Finance Minister, that became the basis for the two parties to join hands.

He is also believed to have played an important role in persuading PDP president, Mehbooba Mufti to head the present government when she remained undecided for nearly three months after the death of her father and Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on January 7.