In Jammu and Kashmir, PDP and BJP began talks in Srinagar last night to form a new government in the state. BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav, who arrived in Srinagar last evening from Jammu, held two rounds of talks with senior PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Baig – the first round at Mr Baig's residence and the second round at a hotel where Mr Madhav is staying. Mr Madhav, who attended a meeting of BJP's newly-elected MLAs in Jammu earlier yesterday, also held a series of meetings in Srinagar with leaders of other Valley-based political parties last evening as part of efforts to cobble up a government in the state. Mr Baig, earlier in the day, said BJP and PDP leadership should talk to each other for forming the next government. While PDP has secured 28 seats, BJP bagged 25 in the elections to the 87-member state Assembly. PDP spokesman Samir Koul said late last night that lines of communication have been opened between the PDP and BJP for government formation. He said, talks are going on with BJP over government-formation in the state but they are still at infancy stage and it will take sometime before any announcements are made. The PDP spokesman said the situation will be clearer in the next three to four days.

Peoples Conference chairman Sajad Ghani Lone, whose party has two MLAs, was the first to meet Mr Madhav at a hotel in Srinagar, BJP sources said. They said, Peoples Democratic Front chairman Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen, who won the recent assembly polls from Khan Sahib segment in Budgam district, also met the BJP leader for nearly 30 minutes. Democratic Party (Nationalist) leader Ghulam Hassan Mir, a minister in the outgoing government led by Omar Abdullah, was another prominent leader to meet Mr Madhav. Outgoing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah categorically said last night that there is no deal or any discussion going on between his National Conference and BJP over the issue of government formation in the state. Mr Abdullah took to Twitter to make this assertion amid speculation that his party may support BJP in forming a new government in Jammu and Kashmir. In another tweet, Mr Abdullah hoped that someone from the PDP, BJP and Congress would form a government quickly.