STATE TIME NEWS
JAMMU: Asserting that it has several options in government-formation in Jammu and Kashmir, BJP on Thursday said it holds the “veto power” in the state.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, BJP’s central observer for J&K, told reporters here that the party was actively in touch with independent and unattached MLAs.
Whoever forms the government, BJP must have a crucial role in it, he said.
Jaitley said BJP now holds the ‘veto power’ in the state.
“Earlier, the veto power was in the hands of Congress and now it’s in the hands of BJP,” he said.
Addressing the media after a meeting of newly-elected BJP MLAs, Jaitley said the legislators authorised party President Amit Shah to decide the future course of action on government formation.
All options are open for us. The newly-elected MLAs of the party have decided that they will go with the decision of the party president Amit Shah who will take a decision which is good for the party, the state and the country, he said.
The central leadership of the party will decide where it wants to sit in the Assembly or how to form the government, he said.
On a question whether BJP would go with National Conference or Peoples Democratic Party, Jaitley said we will go with the three principles–strengthening national sovereignty, development of this region and maintenance of regional balance.
Jaitley described as “inaccurate” media reports that BJP leadership had held discussions with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on government-formation.
“Some inaccurate reports have appeared in this regard and I would only urge you not to go by the reports which are not accurate,” Jaitley said.
He said even though PDP has got maximum number of seats in the Assembly, BJP got the popular vote as its vote percentage was greater as compared to other parties.
“Our votes are higher than those who have contested all the seats. Our strike rate is high. We have the highest popular vote. We have an overwhelming mandate in the Jammu region while the Valley has been divided between PDP (28 seats), National Conference (15) and independents (5).”
The mandate is for a hung Assembly but elections are held for the formation of the government. The newly-elected party members of the Legislative Assembly discussed the issue like what type of government can be formed in a hung Assembly, who will lead the party in the Assembly, Jaitley said.
Without revealing the strategy, the Minister said the party was in touch with unattached members but described as inaccurate reports that it was in discussions with other party leaders in the state.
“Whether to wait and watch or be active, we will not talk about the strategy to the media,” he said, adding there are no two opinions among the MLAs on the strategy to be adopted.
Explaining the highest popular mandate for the party, Jaitley said BJP won 25 out of the 76 seats it contested where as the other major parties contested all the 87 seats.
The MLAs discussed all issues including government formation in a hung House and who the leader should be in the new House and what role the party would be adopted.
(PTI)
