J&K govt formation: NC makes offer of support to PDP

The National Conference has offered unconditional support to the Peoples Democratic Party for formation of a coalition government in the state which has so far stumped all major political parties following a fractured mandate in the recently held state assembly polls.

“We have conveyed our support to the PDP verbally,” NC spokesman Junaid Mattu told Rediff.com.

It was the party’s working president, Omar Abdullah who first made the offer of support to the PDP in the formation of a government in the state.

Responding to Omar’s offer, the PDP had sought a written assurance from the NC on Thursday. The Congress party has already offered its support to the PDP to form a secular coalition government in the state.

However, put together the combined strength of PDP and Congress is just 40 falling short of the magic figure of 44 in the 87 member state assembly

With NC having 15 MLA’S and claiming to have support of two independent members, the combined strength of the two parties makes it 45 and that is more the minimum number required to form the government.

In case the valley centric PDP and NC forge an alliance in the formation of a government it will keep the Bharatiya Janata Party which won all its 25 seats from Jammu out of power and it will have to sit in the opposition.

The two parties have, however, been at logger heads for a long time and have put up candidates against each other in the state.

Senior PDP leaders are also in touch with the BJP leadership in pursuit of cobbling a coalition of the two parties.

Despite these ongoing multilateral negotiations there has been no breakthrough for formation of a government even after three days of the poll results which threw up a hung house.

The BJP which emerged as the second largest party with 25 seats is, however, emerging as the most important factor in the formation of a new government in the state.

The BJP has, however, left it to the party president Amit Shah to take the final call on the issue.

In case the parties do not cobble up a coalition viable for government formation, the state may be headed for a spell of governor’s rule and that scenario cannot be totally ruled out.

In a statement this evening, the NC said that 'its offer of support to PDP stands intact as has been expressed by the party working president, Omar Abdullah.

"Our offer has been conveyed first by the party working president through the public domain, followed by a statement offering such a support and the support offer has also been conveyed verbally directly to PDP through a trusted intermediary formally. It is on record. It is a serious offer and stands as it is. Now it is for PDP to approach NC for our support if they choose to seek it. The ball lies in their court, not ours", Junaid Mattu said in a statement issued from Srinagar.