7th Governor’s Rule in Jammu Kashmir

Days after the demise of Jammu and Kashmir CM Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, plainly the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) – Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) alliance has come underneath a critical pressure.

Gandhi was accompanied by party leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad, a former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister and now a parliamentarian, and Ambika Soni.

Being fair to his arch political rival, regional National Conference (NC) president and former chief minister Omar Abdullah said Mehbooba needs time to come out of her grief and she will have to listen to her inner voice to decide on future governance in the state. “We will definitely be meeting after tomorrow’s ceremony for Mufti Sahib and take a decision”, he said.

This is significant in light of the state BJP not having communicated its view on new government formation to J&K governor NN Vohra despite a meeting of the party’s MLAs after chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death. Improving relations between Jammu and the Kashmir Valley was an aim of the PDP-BJP alliance. BJP sources said there was an apparent war of nerves, and any stand on issues like the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) or government would depend on what emanated from the PDP. Gandhi’s flying into here to meet Mehbooba assumes significance as there are reports that PDP and BJP are bargaining afresh over the formation of a new government. Little wonder then that Ms. Mufti, who many people had expected should have been sworn in by now, sought time and the State is now under Governor’s Rule.

These rumours had gained credence because Mehbooba remained in deep shock over the loss of her father and refused to talk about politics to anybody, including those who came to condole her.

Six years later, Governor’s Rule was again imposed in the state as the 2002 Assembly polls threw up a hung assembly with no party in a position to form a government on its own.

Mehbooba had to in an exclusive interview in 2014: “In 1996, Mufti sahib was told by the Congress high command that if it could not field a candidate from our Bijbehara hometown for elections that would be a huge embarrassment. She will visit Gupkar Road residence of the late chief minister in the afternoon”, a Congress party functionary said. Sonia Gandhi had visited Mehbooba to offer her condolences, the Congress claimed.

With the conclusion of Sunday’s congregational prayers, the four-day mourning period for the Mufti family ends in the evening. My considered opinion is that she should open up the ways of talking to Congress, which is a secular party.

The BJP’s Ram Madhav who played a vital role in bringing this coalition however said yesterday that no demands had been made.