BJP seeks more time for Kashmir government formation

Jammu, Jan 2 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday sought more time to complete negotiations on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior leader Avinash Rai Khanna told reporters that his party needed more time to carry forward negotiations with other political parties.

"We want a stable, strong government in Jammu and Kashmir. For that we need some more time."

Khanna was commenting on the status of BJP's talks with other parties, including the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), to put together an alliance for a government in the country's only Muslim-majority state.

PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar told IANS: "We are where we were on Dec 23 (the day election results were declared)."

Raj Bhavan sources told IANS that Governor N.N. Vohra desired that a government should be formed on time.

The sources said if the political parties failed to reach an agreement on government formation by Jan 19 when the term of the outgoing assembly ends, the governor could impose Governor's rule in the state.

The PDP has 28, the BJP 25, the National Conference 15 and the Congress 12 members in the 87-member house.

Independents and smaller parties won the remaining seven seats.