PDP-BJP alliance in J&K for public welfare
After two months of intense negotiations, it is heartening to see that the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party have come to an agreement over the terms and conditions that will shape their Government in Jammu & Kashmir.
Traditionally, the two have often held opposing views on several issues and many had rightly wondered if they’d be able to find common ground. The finalisation of the Common Minimum Programme, the foundational document of the PDP-BJP alliance, puts those concerns to rest. On the two most controversial issues, Article 370 and the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, both parties have shed their electoral rhetoric, and taken positions that are, perhaps, more reflective of the ground situation. In doing so, both have displayed an appreciable sense of political maturity.
The BJP’s pragmatism, for example, is evident in it reportedly agreeing to maintain the status quo on Article 370 even though it has generally advocated for at least a review, if not repeal, of the law that gives a special status to Jammu & Kashmir. But then again, the BJP had even signaled during the election campaign itself, that it was open to a possible softening of its stance on Article 370. For the PDP, a regional party, its position on Article 370 was, expectedly, almost non-negotiable. But it too has made a compromise by setting aside its old agenda of self-rule.
Had it not done so, it would have been impossible for the BJP, which heads the ruling coalition in New Delhi, to enter into a partnership with the PDP. On the Afspa issue, both parties have reportedly agreed to discussions on a phased withdrawal of the controversial legislation but while keeping in mind security concerns of the State.
Here, it is the PDP that has made the bigger conciliatory move by giving up on its demand for a complete withdrawal of the Act, that it believes offers a cover for Army’s excesses in the State. But others, including the BJP, have rightly held that Afspa is crucial to fighting terrorism in Jammu & Kashmir and is needed to keep the peace. Some of the other sticking points in the formation of the alliance were the initiation of talks with Kashmiri separatists and status of West Pakistani refugees. In the first case, the BJP has reportedly agreed to talks including all stakeholders in the Kashmir peace process. In the second case, the PDP is believed to have consented to viewing the matter from a humanitarian viewpoint.
As is only to be expected, the PDP-BJP alliance, even before it has been formalised, has already been slammed by many quarters. The most common criticism is that the alliance is an opportunistic one that has required both parties to compromise on their core principles.
A careful scrutiny of the common minimum programme, however, shows that neither party has made a U-turn on any of its values and positions. It’s just that both parties have chosen to build on their commonalities, such as a commitment to good governance and development, while effectively managing their differences. This is as it should be, for such is the wish of all the people of the State, including Jammu. After the 2014 Assembly election, the PDP had emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats while the BJP came in second with 25 seats in the 87-seat House. Their alliance for Government formation has always been the most representative option.