PDP, BJP to meet J&K Governor today, stake claim to form government

Jammu: After a hiatus of nearly three months, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are all set to form the government Jammu and Kashmir once again.

Burying their differences, the leaders of the two parties will together meet state Governor NN Vohra on Saturday to stake claim to form the government.

PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti and BJP leader Nirmal Singh will be meeting the Governor at 3.30 pm, reports said.

"Mehbooba Mufti will hand over a letter claiming to form an elected government as the chief ministerial candidate, while Nirmal Singh will submit support to the PDP claim", sources said.

The PDP legislature party has already elected Mehbooba as its CM candidate, while BJP's Nirmal Singh will continue as deputy CM.

Singh was deputy CM in the coalition government led by PDP leader Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who passed away on January 7.

The two parties had not been able to agree on government formation since then. However, a meeting earlier this week between Mehbooba and Prime Minister Narendra Modi helped bury the differences.

The PDP has 27 MLAs (it had 28 before the death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) in the 87-member Legislative Assembly. An independent MLA from the Ladakh region also supports the PDP.

BJP has 25 MLAs and is supported by two MLAs of Peoples Conference headed by Sajad Lone and one independent candidate.

The state had been under Governor's Rule since January 8.