All options open, says Amit Shah

Vibha Sharma

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 23

BJP national president Amit Shah said on Tuesday that the party was keeping all options open in Jammu and Kashmir and the final call would be taken on Wednesday when its top decision-making body — the Parliamentary Board — would meet.

“We are open to supporting any party or taking support from any other party,” Shah said responding to queries on the party’s strategy in Jammu and Kashmir where no single party emerged a clear winner unlike Jharkhand, which sent the BJP to the Assembly with a convincing victory.

Indicating that the next government in Jammu and Kashmir would have BJP presence in one way or the other, he said, “All options are open. The option of forming a BJP government is open. The option of supporting somebody is open. The option of joining some government is open as well. All three options are open.”

Shah dismissed the fourth option, that of Governor’s Rule, in the strife-torn state. A top government functionary said Jammu and Kashmir deserved a political government and that was what it would get.

Shah said even though his party was unable to achieve its target — “Mission 44-Plus” — it managed to improve its position and relevance in the state. “In Jammu and Kashmir politics, we have emerged as a relevant party. Our percentage of votes is higher than the PDP’s, as of now,” he said.

The party’s Parliamentary Board will review all options for Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday and deliberate on its chief ministerial candidate in Jharkhand, where the BJP is set to form the government. The loss suffered by former Chief Minister Arjun Munda has opened the leadership issue in Jharkhand.

Top BJP sources indicated that the party was not inclined to join hands with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. The final call would be taken by the Parliamentary Board.

They said a tie-up with the PDP could prove to be detrimental to both parties because of vast difference in ideologies. “If we ally, the PDP will suffer in Kashmir and the BJP in the Jammu region,” they said.