With positive signs emerging from PDP over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP on Wednesday said it is awaiting the formal initiation of dialogue with it.
The BJP reacted after PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti dropped hints of her party not being averse to joining hands with the saffron party as she invoked A.B Vajpayee and said the mandate in the State was an “opportunity” for Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “We appreciate Mehbooba Mufti’s gesture through media. We await formal initiation of dialogue,” BJP leader Ram Madhav said. The BJP leadership has been in talks with lower-rung PDP leaders for government formation after the polls threw a fractured verdict with PDP emerging as the single largest party with 28 seats in the 87-member Assembly closely followed by BJP with 25 seats. While PDP got a majority seats in Kashmir region, the BJP got its majority seats in Jammu region and there is stalemate over the next government. BJP sources said Mehbooba’s remarks will help in ending the confusion in J and K to take the State forward on the path of development by providing a stable government to the State.