Guv steps in to end J&K impasse

With PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti coming up with a fresh list of demands, the ruling party at the Centre seems to be in a mood to call her bluff.

J&K Governor NN Vohra has called both the BJP and PDP to Raj Bhawan for consultations on Tuesday. According to well-placed sources, the party has conveyed to PDP leaders that it wants the alliance to continue on the same lines of agreement which were drawn when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was sworn in as the head of the coalition government. “The party has refused to entertain any demand made by PDP which was not made by Sayeed,” a party insider said.

While hardening its stand, BJP has also wooed three independent MLAs – Sajjad Gani Lone from Hindwara, Bashir Ahmad Dar from Kupwara and Pawan Kumar Gupta from Udhampur – to its fold lest PDP decides to join hands with the Congress. 

According to party insiders, all the three Independent MLAs have ‘agreed’ to support BJP in J&K, which would leave a possible PDP-Congress alliance short of majority in the assembly. The three MLAs accompanied BJP leaders from J&K to Delhi, where they were briefed on the future course of action. In the 87 (one vacant) member house, PDP has 27 MLAs, BJP 25, National Conference 15, Congress 12 and Independents/Others seven.

Given that three MLAs are in the BJP camp, it won’t be possible for Mehbooba to form government with the support of Congress. They would need the support of Omar Abdullah-led National Conference, which seems not possible under present circumstances”, a party insider said, adding that under these conditions, the PDP may request for fresh elections to get the sympathy vote in Mufti’s name.

The BJP could also have a plan in place to puncture the PDP attempt to get sympathy votes as it may go for Governor’s Rule for six months, enough to weaken the sympathy for Mufti senior among voters. However, sources also said that if intervention of BJP president Amit Shah was required to iron out the differences with Mehbooba, he may visit J&K to settle the matter.

The PDP has said it will go ahead if the Agenda of Alliance, framed under the leadership of former Chief Minister late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, was implemented in letter and spirit.