J&K: Mehbooba, Lone stake claim to form government; Assembly dissolved
What's the story
The J&K State Assembly has been dissolved by Governor Satya Pal Malik as Peoples Democratic Party chief, Mehbooba Mufti, and People's Conference leader, Sajad Lone, staked claim to form the government. Mufti, whose PDP has 29 legislators, says she has the support of 12 Congress and 15 National Conference MLAs in the 87-member Assembly, totaling to 56, which crosses the 44 majority mark.
Information
Lone says he has the support of 25 BJP MLAs
Meanwhile, Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference leader Sajad Lone, whose party has two seats, claimed he has the support of 25 BJP MLAs and 18 other legislators, which would also cross the required majority mark of 44 in the J&K Assembly.
Details
Mufti to meet Malik to stake claim to form government
Mufti earlier tweeted that PDP will stake claim to form the government in J&K with help of Congress and National Conference. She added she had been "unsuccessfully" trying to fax a letter addressed to Governor Malik, stating that she will meet him soon to stake claim as she isn't in Srinagar at present. She said she tried to contact him on the phone too.
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Here's the letter by Mufti addressed to SP Malik
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
Mufti's letter
Peoples Democratic Party is the largest party in Assembly: Mufti
In her letter to Malik, Mufti states: "As you are aware...Peoples Democratic Party is the largest party in the State Assembly having a strength of 29." "The Congress and National Congress have also decided to extend support to our party to form a government... National Conference has a strength of 15 and the Congress 12. That takes our collective strength to 56," she adds.
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Meanwhile, Lone also tweeted they sent a letter to Governor
We have sent a letter to His Excellency the Governor staking our claim to form the government. Fax not working. We ha e whatsapped it to the PA to his excellency. @jandkgovernor
— Sajad Lone (@sajadlone) November 21, 2018
Governor's rule
J&K put under Governor's rule after Mufti resigned in June
Meanwhile, BJP critics say that dissolving the J&K Assembly is only an attempt to prevent the PDP-National Conference-Congress alliance from forming the government in the state. Mufti resigned as the J&K CM in June this year after BJP announced that it was withdrawing from the alliance with PDP in the state, which has been under the Governor's rule for the last five months.