Srinagar: Congress on October 11 said it was in close consultation with the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to form the new government in Jammu and Kashmir and would stake claim for the Chief Minister's post on the basis of its numerical strength in the ninth Legislative Assembly.

"PCC chief Ghulam Nabi Azad and myself are in close consultation with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his close lieutenants including Muzzafar Hussain Beig, Mehbooba Mufti and Ghulam Hassan Mir for a smooth transition of power in the state," senior Congress leader Saifuddin Soz said.

"There will no hassles in transfer of power and we are on our way to form the new government," Soz said, brushing aside reports that he was lobbying for the CM's slot.

He, however, said the Chief Ministerial candidate should ideally come from Congress based on the numerical strength of its seats in the new Assembly.

When asked about the support of independents to Congress, he said they had the support of more than 10 independents in addition to the National Panthers' Party and Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPM), who had agreed to extend support to them.

Veteran Congress leader Ghulam Rasool Kar on October 11 said as the party had emerged as the second largest party, it should stake claim to form the new government with the help of independents and like-minded parties.

Kar, a former PCC chief, said the Assembly elections had proved that the people of all the three regions, Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh, are united and have rejected the demand for trifurcation of the state by giving mandate to Congress.

Meanwhile, even as the People's Democratic Party and Congress looked set to form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, Congress on October 11 warned PDP of roping independents into its fold saying it would lead to "unwanted animosity".

Reacting to reports that PDP had roped in seven independents into the party to increase its strength, highly placed Congress sources said PDP should refrain from such tactics in a bid to outnumber Congress MLAs as this could lead to unwanted animosity between the parties.

While the Congress has bagged 20 seats, PDP won 16 seats in Kashmir valley. Together the two parties have 36 seats in the 87-member House and are eight short of a majority to run the government.

When asked if PDP succeeded in taking its tally beyond the Congress in the newly constituted Assembly, the sources said it would not augur well for the coalition at the outset although the final decision lies with party the high command.

Even though the state party chief Ghulam Nabi Azad remained non-committal on the issue of Chief Minister, sources said he was the frontrunner for the post and was likely to be elected the leader of the Congress Legislative party shortly to pave the way for the formation of a Congress-led government.

Azad, they said, was holding consultations with the top brass of the party for working out a formula to form the government.

PDP, however, has denied that any independent has joined its ranks.

PTI