Cong limbers up on options for CM term

Ahead of the crucial talks tomorrow with People’s Democratic Party chief Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, the Congress today readied various formulae for rotation of chief ministership in Jammu and Kashmir.

Set to be a major stumbling block for the proposed coalition, the dialogue is expected to center around which party would get the first go at the chief ministership and how long each side would hold it. PDP vice-president Mehbooba Mufti had expressed her reservation about the Congress proposal for a three-year term each, and had insisted on PDP getting the first chance.

However, the Congress has not been upbeat about giving the first round to PDP claiming it would be a ‘‘Congress-led coalition.’’ The Congress has drawn up two other alternatives that would be discussed at tomorrow’s meeting.

First, that both parties get a year alternatively, with the first year going to the Congress. Second, if PDP lets Congress get the first round, then it would concede four years to PDP and settle for first two years.