Early Times Report
New Delhi, Feb 27: When the PDP patron, Mufti Mohd. Sayeed embraced Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Friday it was a hug between two different political ideologies that have agreed to share the same stage for giving to the people of Jammu and Kashmir a Government that would promote regional balance.
Well Modi is not Pratap Singh Kairon,a former Chief Minister of Punjab, who used to hug his political adversary and shake hands with his friends and colleagues.Modi is free and frank.He is articulate and does not conceal his feelings.He has the knack of wooing opponents and winning friends by giving them a hug.
The way the Mufti met Modi it was a union of hearts,if not of the ideas.It was a union of approach to various political and economic issues,if not a union of ideologies.The two have set the stage for the BJP-PDP coalition Government that was,perhaps,the basic purpose of the two-month long sustained dialogue between the two.
In the world of politics, Modi is adept in embracing top political leaders at the international and national level to clear the hostilities.He is possibly one Indian Prime Minister who has embraced US President,Barack Obama,Chiense President,Xi Jinping and the heads of Governments in Japan,Sri Lanka,Australia,Nepal, and other countries.
Modi looks into the eyes of those whom he embraces.This is what one witnessed when he gave a hug to Mufit Mohd.Sayeed.
Mufti is expected to head a 25-member cabinet, half of it from BJP, in Jammu and Kashmir and the swearing-in ceremony in Jammu will be attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.There will be provision for the post of Deputy Chief Minister as was the case since 2002.
With the PDP-BJP deal sealed after ironing out differences over contentions issues like Article 370 and AFSPA, 79-year- old Sayeed, who will be sworn in as Chief Minister, met the Prime Minister on Friday, capping two-month long hard negotiations between the two parties on government formation.
Accompanied by chief interlocutor of PDP Haseeb Drabu, Sayeed had a nearly one-hour long meeting with Modi during which he extended invitation to the PM for attending the swearing-in ceremony at Jammu on March one.
Modi and Sayeed were all smiles as they hugged and posed for cameras with their photographs trending on social networks within minutes.
"I have extended invitation to the Prime Minister for attending the ceremony and he has agreed," Sayeed told reporters after the meeting at PM';s official residence at 7, Race Course Road.
He refused to answer any specific questions on controversial issues like Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) or Article 370 and said the Common Minimum programme (CMP) will be announced at 3 PM on Sunday.
He said lot of discussions have taken place for the past two months to forge a common ground, a common agenda. He equated the PDP-BJP coalition with "bringing together of North Pole with South Pole".
"The mandate of election is clear that PDP is the choice of people in Kashmir and BJP in Jammu. So we decided that we will unite together to give a government which will give all round development to all the regions in the state," he said.
"It was discussed how a stable government should be formed. The PDP was of the view that we should not allow the opportunity to go waste as it was a historic opportunity with the government at the Centre that has a clear mandate of people to deliver," he said.
Sayeed, who will be returning to power after a gap of more than nine years, backed Modi';s slogan, saying, "I also want Sab ka saath, sab ka vikas (development for all)."
When asked about Article 370 which gives special status to the state and AFSPA, Sayeed said, "Leave these issues. These are not issues. We have to do all this (hame karna padta hai)...All this will come in the Common Minimum Programme which will be announced after the swearing-in."
Asked whether PDP was joining NDA at the Centre, Sayeed said, "It is too early to say that. Ministers will be decided soon. We have found common ground."
To a question whether the CMP was for governance or for political alliance, he said, "It (the alliance) is both for political and governance. First political and then governance.
When political atmosphere will be right then only governance will take place
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