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Basharat Peer in Srinagar
The newly constituted People's Democratic Forum, consisting of five independents and two Communist Party of India-Marxist members, has again postponed its decision to come out in support of either the Congress or the People's Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir.
"We will take our decision on supporting a particular party by tomorrow. We are still trying to get the Congress and the PDP reach some understanding [over the issue of chief ministership]. But we cannot wait for too long," PDF leader and CPI-M veteran Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami said in Srinagar on Wednesday.
However, he said during a meeting of PDF legislators in the afternoon, it was decided that they would do everything possible to avoid the imposition of governor's rule in the state. "Central rule is a ruthless rule. It is a rule without people," he added.
The term of the assembly ends on October 17 and there is a possibility of imposition of governor's rule if a new assembly is not constituted by October 18.
"Issues like chief ministership are irrelevant and they are getting priority over other important things. We will not support those who became an obstacle in the government formation," he said referring to the PDP's demand that the chief minister should be from Kashmir.
He said October 17 was not an un-stretchable deadline and "using his discretion, the governor can give us a few more days to explore options of government formation".
Imposition of governor's rule would mean disrespecting the verdict of the people, he added.
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