NEW DELHI: India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) may not have got its promised mandate to repeal Jammu and Kashmir’s special status by abrogating Article 370 of the country’s constitution but it has found a landmark toehold for the first time in the region’s history by becoming a member of its ruling coalition, local reports said on Friday.

According to The Indian Express, more than a month after the poll results were declared, the BJP and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) have finalised a power-sharing pact and are set to form the next government in the region. According to sources quoted by the paper, PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is set to take oath as chief minister in mid-February.

The deputy chief minister will be from the BJP, with party leader Nirmal Singh being the front-runner for the post.

“We have almost reached a consensus to form the next government with the PDP,” BJP national executive council member and MLA from Billawar, Nirmal Singh, told the newspaper.

“J&K will soon have a stable government headed by a mature politician and a good cabinet team,” he said.

PDP chief spokesman Nayeem Akhtar also confirmed that a PDP-BJP government would be formed by mid-February, the report said. Newspaper.Back Page:LatestNews Sources told the paper the PDP would get the home and finance portfolios while the BJP would get the posts of deputy CM and assembly speaker. BJP sources said People’s Conference chairman Sajjad Lone, whose party has two seats in the assembly, would be included in the cabinet in the BJP quota.

Published in Dawn January 31st, 2015

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