New Delhi: One side PDP and BJP's 'informal negotiations' for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir are progressing smoothly, the other side the two are still dragging their feet on issues like Article 370 and the AFSPA.
The People's Democratic Party on Tuesday hardened its stand on the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) it had been negotiating with the BJP for almost two months saying it will not compromise on core issues like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act or Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
Sources in the PDP, which emerged as the single largest party after the Assembly elections last year, said the party will not compromise on removing the AFSPA from Kashmir or making Article 370 inviolable. "Agree on all issues or there is no deal," PDP veteran Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is reported to have told the BJP.
The Indian Express reported that leaders from both the parties will meet on Tuesday to hold another round of discussion. "The negotiations have entered a decisive phase and meetings are on to iron out differences. The fate of the alliance and the decision on government formation will be announced any time now," the Express quoted an unnamed source as saying.
The BJP's stand on contentious issues like Article 370, Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) and the settlement of west Pakistan refugees in Jammu and Kashmir has been diagonally opposed to that of the PDP.
The PDP seeks firm assurances on protection of Article 370, the BJP stands for a national debate on whether this temporary provision of the Indian constitution, granting special status to J&K, should stay or go.
Jammu and Kashmir elected a hung Assembly after the votes of the five-phased election were counted on December 23 last year with the PDP emerging as the single largest party with 28 seats in the 87-member House
The Governor's Rule was imposed in the state on January 9, a day after National Conference leader Omar Abdullah asked Governor NN Vohra to relieve him of the duties of the caretaker chief minister with immediate effect.
