Avtar Bhat
JAMMU, Jan 13: Hopeful about the continuation of PDP-BJP coalition in the State and forming of next Government by the two alliance partners soon, BJP, however, said that no time frame can be given when the new Government will be sworn -in in the State.
This was stated by former Deputy Chief Minister and senior BJP leader Dr Nirmal Singh and party State chief Sat Sharma (CA) while talking to reporters to announce the launch of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna here, today.
There are positive signals from PDP on Government formation as Party spokesperson, Dr Mehboob Beg has also made it clear yesterday that the PDP-BJP coalition will continue, said Dr Singh. So all the speculations made in this regard have been put to rest by PDP itself, he added.
When asked why there has been too much delay in Government formation, the former Deputy Chief Minister said that there is seven days mourning in connection with former Chief Minister, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s death and it will be over today. The PDP will hold the Legislature Party meet after the mourning is over and it will formally elect the Party leader. “Once this practice is over and the Party makes a formal contact with BJP till then we can’t say any thing”, he added.
Dr Singh said that the Party had conveyed the same to Governor N N Vohra during their recent meeting with him on Government formation. “We had received a letter from the Governor asking us about our views on the Government formation. I said that the coalition partner PDP needs to take the call,” he added.
“Since there is a coalition Government, it is up to PDP to decide after the demise of Mufti Sahab and we will move forward accordingly. There should not be any doubts over the coalition,” he added.
“We will soon give a new Government to the people and ensure development in future at the same pace which took place during the 10 months of our coalition Government (headed by the Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed)”, said Sat Sharma.
In response to speculations being made regarding appointment of new Deputy Chief Minister and induction of more Ministers from BJP in the Council of Ministers, Sat Sharma said that only High Command will take a decision in this regard. He said they have to go by the decision of High Command that who will be the Deputy CM and who not.
Regarding induction of more Ministers he said decision of High Command will prevail in this regard also. However, he hastened to say that first you wait for the formation of the Government.
It may be recalled that BJP had 10 Ministers in previous coalition headed by Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. They included seven Cabinet Ministers and three Ministers of State.
Sharma said that the previous Government under Mufti had ensured development and peace in 10 months period which none other Government in the past has achieved during the same period and that pace of development would continue.
Asked whether PDP is resorting to delaying tactics for possible tie-up with other political parties, he said “there is no such question.
“It is a very short period till now as only a few days have passed after the death of Mufti Sahib. Things would soon be comfortable and we will soon come to a decision. The management of the Government would be kept at highest place”, he said.
“There is no need to be suspicious about PDP and there is no such indication that there is anything being thought by the PDP leadership other than the alliance with BJP,” Nirmal Singh said.
“There is nothing of such thing officially or unofficially,” he said when asked whether the PDP is eyeing to form Government with other political parties.
“The way the situation is. They need time and we are giving them. We feel the positive results will come very soon in next few days,” the former Deputy CM said.
He noted that the alliance had been formed for six years but there was the sudden death of the Chief Minister.
He made it clear that he can’t give any day and date by which the next Government will be in place in the State but it will be soon. Maintaining that agenda of alliance is the corner stone of PDP-BJP coalition, Dr Singh said that it will be the basic guideline for our future tie up in the State also and there will be no deviation from that.
In reply to a question that PDP MP and senior leader Tariq Hamid Karra has suggested that his Party should go with Congress, former Deputy CM said Karra is not the official spokesman of the Party.
Dr Singh also took a dig at opposition for making a baseless and false propaganda, that electricity supply has been privatized in the State and said that under RAP and DRP programme new wires and transformers are laid to improve the power supply in the State.
Regarding Bhima Yojna the BJP leaders said the Union Cabinet in its meeting at New Delhi today has approved the PMs Fasal Bima Yojna, which is a path breaking scheme for farmers’ welfare. The BJP leaders termed the announcement of the Yojna a new gift for the farmers of the country by the pro farming community Government at the Centre led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the occasion of holy festival of Lohri.
The new scheme will be implemented by Kharif season of this year, they added.
They said under the scheme there will be a uniform premium of only 2 percent to be paid by the farmers for all Kharif crops and 1.5 percent for all Rabi crops. In case of annual commercial and horticultural crops, the premium rates to be paid by the farmers will be only 5 percent. The premium rates to be paid by the farmers are very low and balance premium will be paid by the Government to provide full insured amount to the farmers against crop loss on account of natural calamities, they added.
They said there is no upper limit on Government subsidy. Even if balance premium is 90 percent it will be borne by the Government. Earlier, there was a provision of capping the premium rate which resulted in low claims being paid by farmers, the added.
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