Srinagar: Hours before Congress president Sonia Gandhi's meeting with senior party leaders to discuss government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) on October 22 said it was ready to sacrifice power and sit in the Opposition if its demand for heading the coalition was not accepted.

"We are ready to sacrifice power and sit in the Opposition if our demands are not accepted by the Congress," PDP vice-president Mehbooba Mufti said.

While reiterating the party's desire to form a coalition government along with smaller parties and independents, Mehbooba said PDP would not compromise on its stand on regional aspirations.

"We are ready for negotiations and will continue till last moment. But there will be no compromise that the alliance should be led by PDP," she said.

Revealing what transpired in the meeting with senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh and others, Mehbooba said most of the offers to arrive at an early settlement from the Congress were rejected by PDP.

"We rejected the offer of rotational Chief Minister as it does not serve the purpose," she said adding "we also turned down the post of Deputy Chief Minister, Home Minister and chairman of the co-ordination committee."

The PDP has been at pains trying to shed the image of a party playing regional card within the state, but had staked claim for the top slot saying if the Chief Ministerial candidate came from the region other than Kashmir, it would increase the alienation among the people of the Valley.

"We got the mandate in Kashmir Valley against the ruling National Conference, and the Congress got it in Jammu against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). We represent the regional aspirations and we have to fulfill them," Mehbooba who was being projected as the prospective Chief Ministerial candidate of PDP, said.

"We will not let down the people of Kashmir. J and K is not just another state that Congress needs to put in its kitty," she added.

PTI