PDP, BJP stake claim to form J&K govt; Mehbooba says state's peace, development will be only agenda

Srinagar: Mehbooba Mufti of PDP and Nirmal Singh of BJP on Saturday jointly met Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra to stake claim to form the government, ending weeks of speculation about a rift between the two allies.

The state has been under the president's rule since the sudden demise of the then chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed about two months ago.

After meeting the governor at Raj Bhawan, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti thanked the BJP for extending its support to form the government.

She said peace and development of Jammu and Kashmir will be the only agenda of her government.

She also expressed her satisfaction with the assurances her party received from Prime Minister Narendra Modi for government formation.  

Nirmal Singh of the BJP said both sides will sit together and and decide on the future course of action.

“We have submitted a letter to the governor where BJP legislators have unanimously supported PDP in government formation,” ANI quoted Singh as saying. 

PDP on Saturday rubbished "rumours" that there were differences with the BJP over the issue of distribution of portfolios in the new government.

"There are no differences between PDP and BJP. At a time when the government formation is in the process, rumours on differences on distribution of portfolios are baseless," PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhter told PTI.

On being asked when the oath-taking ceremony would take place, he said both the parties will sit together and decide the date.

BJP had on Friday unanimously decided to form the government with PDP and support PDP's chief ministerial candidate Mehbooba Mufti.