26 MARCH 2016

Ø The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday extended its support to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti’s candidature as the next Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir. However, a scheduled joint meeting with Governor N.N. Vohra later in the evening did not take place. The PDP had earlier approached the Governor’s office with a request “to have a joint meeting in the evening”, including Ms Mufti and State BJP president Sat Sharma, which was agreed to. However, according to the Raj Bhavan spokesman, the PDP and the BJP leaders failed to meet, saying “talks were ongoing on in Jammu between the leaders of their parties and they would make a fresh request for a meeting once they had concluded discussions.” BJP sources said the party was keen “to have a relook at the party-wise allocation of portfolios”. Sources hinted at the party demanding a reshuffling of the ministries of Finance, Planning and junior ministry of State Home ministry, which traditionally has been with the Chief Minister.

Ø India on Friday rejected Pakistan’s claims that it had arrested a serving naval officer in Balochistan for what it called “subversive activities”. In a statement, the Ministry of External affairs however, admitted that the man believed to be arrested was a former officer of the navy. “The said individual has no link with Government since his premature retirement from Indian Navy,” said the MEA statement, adding that India has now sought consular access to him. The government also denied the Pakistani claim that the former officer was spying, saying that “India has no interest in interfering in internal matters of any country and firmly believes that a stable and peaceful Pakistan is in the interest of all in the region.”