New Delhi, October 22
The Congress is likely to make efforts for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir without the People’s Democratic Party.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today met senior party leaders on the issue. Mr Manmohan Singh said after the meeting that the party had taken a decision about formation of government and it would be announced by Mrs Gandhi soon. He did not specify if the Congress would talk to PDP further.

Sources, however, said talks with the PDP were almost a closed chapter for the Congress now and the overwhelming mood among the 14 Congress Working Committee members present at today’s meeting was to move towards staking claim for forming government without showing undue hurry. The members were miffed over statements of some PDP leaders about sitting in the Opposition if their claim to leadership was not accepted.

Mrs Gandhi would meet CLP leader Ghulam Nabi Azad tomorrow and the party’s decision may be announced tomorrow. Mr Azad would reach Srinagar by Thursday.

The PDP has remained inflexibe on the issue of chief ministership. The Congress is not willing to concede the PDP’s demand for Chief Minister while the PDP has not accepted the Congress proposals of rotational Chief Ministership or the post of Deputy Chief Minister for PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti.

Even with support of smaller parties and Independents, the Congress is not in a position of cross the half-way mark in the state Assembly unless it can manage support of some MLAs of either the PDP or the National Conference.

In view of bitter election campaign against the NC, the Congress leaders are extremely cagey about talking of any support from the NC. Congress leaders in Jammu and Kashmir hope to get support from some PDP MLAs once the party takes decisive steps towards government formation. They feel that not all PDP MLAs approve of the approach of PDP chief Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter towards government formation. the Congress had not put up candidates against some PDP candidates in the poll and the party would now be looking for reciprocation from them.