Mehbooba meets Shah, talks over govt formation speculated

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday met Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Amit Shah, amid rising speculation about government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, but there was no clear indication whether they have made any headway.

The PDP, which toughened its stance after Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s demise by seeking concrete plans for the state’s development before the coalition could be resumed, may latch on to Finance Minister Arun Jaitley’s statement in the Lok Sabha, in which he promised speedy implementation of all projects.

Mehbooba, who was in the national capital to attend the Budget Session of Parliament, drove in a car without security for a meeting that lasted nearly 30 minutes. Both the parties maintained silence on the meeting but sources said it was part of the intense efforts being undertaken by the two parties before resuming the coalition. Former Finance Minister Haseeb Drabu, considered one of the architects of the coalition worked during Sayeed’s time, is also understood to have been doing the ground work for bringing together PDP and BJP.