Amid speculation about government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, MLAs and senior party leaders from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) held a crucial meeting in Jammu on Tuesday.
Barring a few lawmakers, all senior party leaders were present at the meeting which was chaired by state party president Ravindra Raina. Leaders discussed the forthcoming panchayat and urban body elections in the state.
Sources said the possibility of government formation was also discussed, although there was no consensus on this issue. Some leaders, they said, want to consolidate gains on the ground following the party’s split with erstwhile ally Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Some other leaders, however, wanted the party to explore the possibility of forming a government, especially given the fillip that was provided to the development process in Jammu.
To form government in the state, a party needs a minimum of 44 members with a simple majority.
In the current 87-member Assembly, PDP is the single largest party with 28 members, followed by BJP with 25.
National Conference has 15 and Congress has 12, while People’s Conference has two. CPI-M and PDF follow with one MLA each, while the rest are Independents.
Meanwhile, Dineshwar Sharma, the Centre’s special representative for dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir, called on Governor Satyapal Malik at the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday. Sharma apprised the governor of the opinion he has gathered following meetings with a varied cross-section of society after his appointment as special representative for dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The governor and Sharma discussed a range of issues relating to the internal security situation, development scenario and initiatives required for protecting and promoting the educational and career interests of youth,” an official spokesman said.
