BJP expresses hope that the coalition will continue in J&K

Jammu: The state BJP on Sunday said it had no objection to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti taking over as the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, and expressed hope that its alliance with her party will continue.

"We don't know what their (PDP's) stand (on Government formation) is, unless we get something official from them, we cannot say anything, but we are hopeful that this alliance will go ahead," senior BJP leader and former deputy chief minister Nirmal Singh told reporters on the sidelines of a function here on Sunday.

When asked whether the BJP would accept Mehbooba Mufti as the chief minister of the coalition, Singh said, "we don't have any objection as we have already given signals to it earlier".

Asked about the reasons of delay in formation of a government after J&K Chief Minister's death, he said it was upto the PDP (Leadership) to take a decision.

"I don't know, it is upto them (PDP) to say this. We are only waiting for their reply, what stand they take, we are waiting for them," he said.

Replying to a query regarding the options BJP have if PDP decides against continuing the alliance with it, he said, he was hopeful that the alliance would continue.

"I think there should not be any reason for this, only they can tell us, we are hopeful that such a situation won't arise," he said.

Senior PDP leader, Naeem Akhtar had said that PDP would review how much the conditions of Agenda of Alliance have been fulfilled Singh said that such a review was a normal thing.

"Nowhere review has been said and no condition has been laid, it is true that the issue of Agenda of Alliance have to be seen as how much it has been fulfilled and how much was remaining, even if Mufti Sahab was alive he too would have done this. There is no difference (between PDP and BJP)," he said.

On the statement of National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah, he said the former chief minister has retracted from his statement.

Asked whether the BJP would opt for fresh elections, if the PDP decides to break the alliance with the saffron party, he said it was not the right moment to comment on the issue.

"It is not the right moment to think about it, it is for them (PDP) what they decide and I am hopeful that everything will go alright. I am hopeful that things will move forward properly," he said.

When asked if his party was in touch with PDP leadership, he said, even as there was no official communication, but the leadership of both the parties was in touch.

"We haven't had an official discussion, but yes we are coalition partners and we keep on talking but no official communication as yet," he said, adding that priority of both the parties should be to restore democratic setup in the state.