J&K govt formation: PDP leader says party wants 'assurances' from Centre on 'Agenda of Alliance'

Srinagar: While PDP president Mehbooba Mufti is keeping a studied silence on government formation, a senior party leader on Tuesday said they were looking for "concrete assurances" from the Centre on the issues listed in the Agenda of Alliance.

Mehbooba Mufti was in the process of reviewing the implementation of the Agenda during the 10-month-rule of PDP-BJP government headed by her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and a decision would be taken in due course, he said.

The PDP core group, which met here on Sunday, had authorised Mehbooba, who is tipped to be the next Chief Minister, to take the final call on alliance with the BJP.

At the same time, the PDP leader, who did not wish to be named, today said it was "highly unlikely" that PDP and BJP would form the next government in the state till "we receive concrete assurances on key issues flagged by our party leader Naeem Akhtar last week".

"We have honestly kept our side of the bargain in the Agenda of Alliance. It is now for the BJP to keep its side of the commitment," the PDP leader said.

Akhtar last week had said, "Our governance agenda were making smart cities, bring back power projects, and other development projects. We will analyse whether we can work smoothly on the governance agenda."

The PDP leader said party president Mehbooba Mufti was in the process of reviewing the implementation of Agenda.

"The review process cannot be done overnight... the Agenda of Alliance took two months to be formulated and finalised. It is natural that the review process will take few days at the least," the PDP leader said.

He said the PDP point of view has been conveyed to the BJP leadership and his party was awaiting a response from the national party on the issues flagged earlier.

Meanwhile, president of state unit of BJP Sat Sharma said the govenrment will be in place very soon.

"You will soon hear about it (government formation). We have lost a leader of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's stature. He was not only a state leader but a national leader," Sharma told reporters here.

Asked about the issues raised by Akhtar last week, Sharma said the PDP leader would be in a better position to answer this question.

"It was a government headed by Mufti Sahib... They can answer the questions on implementation of Agenda of Alliance better," he added.

Sharma refused to answer questions about possibility of BJP allying with the National Conference.

Jammu and Kashmir has been placed under Governor's Rule on January 8, a day after the death of then incumbent Mufti Mohammad Sayeed -- as the PDP and BJP did not stake the claim for government formation.