JAMMU: Asserting that it had several options vis-a-vis government-formation in Jammu and Kashmir, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said on Thursday it had the “veto power” in the disputed state.

Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, the BJP’s central observer for J&K, told reporters 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.

“Earlier, the veto power was in the hands of Congress and now it’s in the hands of BJP,” Mr Jaitley said.

Addressing the media after a meeting of his party’s newly-elected legislators, he said his party’s MLAs had authorized BJP president Amit Shah to decide about future course of action on the issue of government formation in the state.

“I have personally talked to all MLAs and taken into view their opinion about who should be the leader of legislative assembly,” the minister said.

He added that many options were open for the BJP.“The PDP has slightly more seats than us, but popular vote is with the BJP. BJP had the best strike rate in Jammu & Kashmir assembly elections.”

BJP sources said the party “would drive a hard bargain” to ensure that it got a deal “mostly on its terms” and without having to drastically dilute its plank.

Negotiators will explore whether the party can get the prospective partner to agree to let a Hindu from Jammu become the chief minister as part of a rotational arrangement, according to the sources.

BJP leaders remain confident of commanding the loyalty of most of the independents winning the election, reducing the manoeuvring room of other players.

—By arrangement with the Times of India

Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2014