New twist in J&K as stalemate drags on; Farooq Abdullah says NC open to alliance with BJP

No word yet from the PDP-BJP combine on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir but former Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) chief Dr Farooq Abdullah has added new flavour saying NC doors are open for the BJP, reports The Indian Express. PDP and BJP had entered into post poll alliance to form the coalition government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Sayeed died in New Delhi on 7 January. Sayeed’s daugher Mehbooba Mufti has not broken her silence after her father’s death and party insiders have stuck to the same line for days after the mourning period wound down: “She is not in a proper frame of mind.” “It is not that we have shut our doors,’’ Farooq told reporters in Katra. Abdullah did not strike an aggressive tone, though. Instead, he took the high ground saying the status quo of stalemate in the state is not helping matters. “What is the purpose of such friendship,’’ Abdullah said referring to the PDP-BJP alliance not coming to a swift decision. Although the PDP did break its silence, not much has happened as the state slid into Governor’s rule. Last week, PDP said it will go ahead and form the Jammu and Kashmir government with its alliance partner BJP after Mehbooba Mufti comes out of mourning and is ready to take on her father’s role as Chief Minister. [caption id=“attachment_2580404” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Mehbooba Mufti. AFP[/caption] “We will be operating within the framework already formulated by the PDP under Mufti Mohammed Sayeed and the BJP,” PDP spokesperson Mehboob Baig told The Indian Express. Baig said that there are neither party has set any pre-conditions. “Everything has been sorted out,” he said putting to rest speculation that anything other than the customary mourning period for the late Mufti Sayeed is the reason behind delay in the decision. With this, the Congress seemed to be ruled out as an option. There was a burst of speculation after Congress chief Sonia Gandhi met Mehbooba at her Srinagar residence. “The state is still in mourning. Mehboobaji is still in a state of shock and the government would be formed once she is out of mourning,” Baig said. With Agencies