Mehbooba sends letter to stake claim for J&K govt formation, says 'unable to reach Rajbhavan'

Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party has decided to stake claim to form government in Jammu and Kashmir with the support of the National Conference and the Congress party. Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday shared a letter in this regard, addressed to Governor Satya Pal Malik.

However, Mehbooba claimed that despite her repeated attempts to send the letter to Rajbhavan through fax has failed. The PDP chief also said that she had been trying to get in touch with the Jammu and Kashmir Governor on phone, but he was “not available”.

Sharing the letter on the microblogging site, the former chief minister said, “Have been trying to send this letter to Rajbhavan. Strangely the fax is not received. Tried to contact HE Governor on phone. Not available. Hope you see it @jandkgovernor.”

Have been trying to send this letter to Rajbhavan. Strangely the fax is not received. Tried to contact HE Governor on phone. Not available. Hope you see it @jandkgovernor pic.twitter.com/wpsMx6HTa8 — Mehbooba Mufti (@MehboobaMufti) November 21, 2018

In the letter addressed to the Governor, Mehbooba Mufti wrote, “As you are aware that Peoples Democratic Party is the largest party in the State assembly having a strength of 29. You might have gathered from the media reports that the Congress and National Conference have also decided to extend support to our party to form a government in the State.”

She further said that with the 15 MLAs of the National Conference and 12 of the Congress party, the collective number reaches to 56, which is much ahead of the number required for government formation in the state.

“Since I am presently in Srinagar, it would not be possible for me to call on you immediately and this is to keep you informed that we would be seeking your convenience shortly to stake the claim for forming the government in the State,” the PDP chief further wrote.

This came just hours after a senior PDP leader, Altaf Bukhari, confirmed that the leadership of his party had confirmed that an alliance would be formed along with the National Conference and the Congress.

“My leadership has confirmed it to us that the three parties (Congress, PDP and NC) have agreed to make a coalition to defend the special identity of the state politically and legally. Very soon you will get a good news,” Bukhari had said.

J&K is currently under Governor's rule which cannot be extended after it completes its six-month period on December 19. A PDP-BJP government in the state had fallen when the right-wing party pulled out of the ruling coalition on June 16.