Mufti Mohammed Sayeed to be sworn-in as J-K CM on Sunday

Peoples Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party have ironed out their differences and reached a consensus on a Common Minimum Programme that will form the basis of their unique coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir to be sworn-in at 11 am on Sunday.

Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, founder-patron of PPD, flew in on Thursday evening to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday which will be final step in his return as the state's chief minister at the head of the coalition that will mark the first time ever for the BJP to be in power in the sensitive state.

Sayeed said on his arrival that a CMP on which there has been a consensus has been made and now he will be meeting the PM on Friday.

Refusing to talk about the understanding on contentious issues like Article 370 which gives special status to the state, he said, “I won’t talk on the issues....it (CMP) will come in black and white and the entire public of the country will see what we are doing.”

It is expected that Sayeed will invite Modi for the swearing-in function in Jammu.

Ahead of the meeting between Sayeed and Modi, presidents of both the parties -- Mehbooba Mufti of PDP and Amit Shah of BJP, met on Wednesday after which they announced formation of a coalition government in the state.

Shah had tweeted after the meeting that “glory will be restored in the ‘Jewel of the Crown’, BJP-PDP govt will take J and K to new heights by ensuring good governance and development.”

Sayeed will also hold the portfolio of home department which has been traditionally held by the CM since 1953. Nirmal Singh from BJP is expected to be the Deputy CMhaving the portfolio of planning.

The December 23 election results saw a highly-fractured mandate with PDP emerging as single largest party with 28 MLAs followed by BJP with 25. Erstwhile allies National Conference and Congress ended with 15 and 12 seats respectively.

BJP and PDP, which have been in negotiations for nearly two months now, have sorted out all the differences over Article 370, Armed Forces Special Powers Act, resettlement of west Pakistan refugees and holding of talks with Pakistan and separatist leaders of the state.

Highly-placed sources said the document prepared by the two sides mainly focuses on development and providing job opportunities to youths.

The document also lists ways and means for rehabilitation of nearly 60,000 Kashmiri Pandit families who had left the KashmirValley after the onset of militancy in early 1990s.

On Article 370, while BJP has given no written assurance as demanded by PDP, the document is expected to say that both parties will respect the aspirations of the people of the state within the Constitution, the sources indicated.

The proposed document may also touch upon the issue of more than 25,000 families of West Pakistani refugees by terming it a humanitarian issue.

The other issues include handing over of hydel projects to the state government and vacating of land and buildings by the army in the Valley.