Rustam
Early Times Report
JAMMU, Jan 19: People of the state, who voted in large numbers in the just-held Assembly elections, want the Governor's rule to end at the earliest for obvious reasons. They want a Government in place at the earliest - Government that is formed by their elected representatives, which is not happening much to their chagrin. They believe, and rightly so, that only a popularly-elected Government can cater to their needs and keep the bureaucracy under check.
Reports emanating both from New Delhi and Srinagar suggest that talks between the BJP and the PDP, the two largest parties in the 87-member Legislative Assembly, and the BJP and the NC are on. The PDP, the BJP, the NC and the Congress have 28, 25, 15 and 12 MLAs, respectively, and the only party which perhaps is considered untouchable as of now is the Congress party. Neither the NC nor the PDP has indicated its intention to work with the Congress party. The PDP has also not accepted the offer of unconditional support from the NC. Besides, the NC and the Congress do not have the required numbers to form the Government. They share between them only 27 seats - 17 less than the required number. The point is that the PDP doesn't want to stitch an alliance with the NC and the Congress, which were defeated by the people not only in the Lok Sabha elections but also in the crucial Assembly elections. Both the mandates were against the ruling coalition comprising the NC and the Congress. It is clear that the PDP wants to an alliance with the BJP, as it believes, and rightly, that these two parties alone can provide a stable Government. The story of the BJP is no different. It also wants to work with the PDP for the same reasons.
What is causing an inordinate delay in the Government formation? Reports suggest that while the PDP and the BJP have ironed out their differences over Article 370 and Armed Forces Special powers act, the only issue which still remains unresolved is the office of Chief Minister. The PDP, it appears, wants to lead the Government for an entire term of six years. J&K is the only state where the life of the Assembly is six years. In other states of the Union, the life of the assemblies is five years as is also the case with the Lok Sabha. Reports from New Delhi indicate that the BJP is insisting on a power-sharing formula similar to the one the Congress, the PDP, the Panthers Party, the CPI-M and the People's democratic Forum evolved and adopted in October 2002.
As per the 2002 power-sharing formula, the PDP, which had 16 MLAs, was to rule the state for the first three years and the Congress, which had 20 MLAs, was to lead the state Government during the remaining period of three years. The formula worked well and the ruling coalition provided a stable Government. It was only in June 2008 that the PDP withdrew its support to the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Government and the result was that the Government fell on July 7 on the issue of Amarnath land row. Azad had outraged the religious sensitivities of the Hindus across the nation by snatching the Baltal land from the Amarnath Shrine Board to pander to communalists and separatists in the Valley and he had taken this outrageous step overlooking the orders of the J&K high Court.
Anyway, as said, the 2002 power-sharing formula had worked well. It would be only desirable and in the interest of the state if a similar formula is adopted. This would satisfy the people of Kashmir and this would also satisfy the people of Jammu province. But more than that, such a power-sharing formula, coupled with a state-centric common minimum programme, would harmonize inter-regional relations. It is time for both the parties to clinch the whole issue as soon as possible so that the people of the state get a Government of their own choice. |
