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‘BJP, PDP reach agreement on Article 370’

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SRINAGAR: A power-sharing deal between BJP and PDP could not be signed on Tuesday because of RSS’s hardline stand on the status of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).Sources said as BJP persisted with efforts to hammer out an understanding with PDP, it was hamstrung by RSS’s insistence not to dilute its stand for retaining AFSPA so long as the “Army needed it”.They also said that while the two sides are close to a mutually acceptable formulation on the status of Article 370, Sangh’s stance on AFSPA proved to be a stumbling block on Tuesday. While both sides were optimistic of an early breakthrough, sources in the BJP acknowledged that getting Sangh on board by crafting a formulation which could pass muster with it and yet be acceptable to PDP could take a few more days. RSS leaders have argued that the Army’s views should be respected in view of their operational requirements and the sacrifices “they have made”. Army maintains that it needs the cover of AFSPA — a mechanism which protects soldiers from being dragged to civilian courts for actions during counter-insurgency operations — to operate without the fear of motivated and unfair prosecution.Sources said the two sides have reached an understanding on Article 370, with BJP agreeing to give the assurance that it would not seek to undermine the status of the provision which guarantees “special status”. Although BJP has campaigned for the abolition of Article 370, it may not find it difficult to put the matter on hold, given that it lacks the numbers required for amending the Constitution in order to drop the controversial article.The campaign for assembly elections had seen BJP underplaying the issue of Article 370.The two sides are on different pages also on issues like permanent citizenship to refugees from west Pakistan, resuming talks with Pakistan over Kashmir and inviting separatist leaders for talks.Both sides, however, remain optimistic about the prospects of an early understanding.So far, the two parties have held over 15 rounds of talks and the discussions are in a decisive phase and the decision on alliance and government formation could be announced any time in the next couple of days, sources in both parties said. Reports also suggest that the final call now needs to be taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Reports said BJP has already agreed to PDP’s claim to the chief minister’s post for the full six-year term. PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed will take over the post when a new government is formed.Top PDP leaders in Jammu said the party was “not in a hurry” to form the government and “won’t budge an inch” on its proposed agenda of alliance.Sources said PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti is scheduled to meet BJP president Amit Shah soon.