Party sends ‘muscular’ message it won’t imperil national interests for sake of power in J&K, the call also aims to stem PDP’s narrative in Valley
The BJP’s decision to withdraw from the Jammu & Kashmir’s three-year-old coalition Government is understandably meant to protect its political support base in Jammu and prevent the PDP from generating a counter-narrative to address its own cadre in the Valley. But more than that, it is aimed at sending a “muscular” message across the country that national interests will not be compromised for the sake of power.
The BJP’s announcement to end the uneasy ties came after the Centre’s gambit of a unilateral ceasefire through the month of “Ramzan” failed miserably and the Valley saw an increase in the level of violence, targeted attack on Army jawans, and killing of a prominent journalist in the heart of Srinagar last week.
Meanwhile, Governor NN Vohra recommended imposition of Governor’s rule in Jammu & Kashmir after the stakeholders in the State refused to explore options to form an alternative Government. Vohra sent the recommendation to President Ramnath Kovind for his ascent under Rule 92 of the Jammu & Kashmir constitution.
The timing of the decision showed the BJP’s realisation that it would pay a heavy political price in the 2019 general election by giving the impression that for the sake of power it supported several controversial moves of the Mehbooba Government such as releasing thousands of stone pelters, agreeing to its demand to halt operation against terrorists, and pursuing a Kashmir policy that seemed a mixture of confusion and indecision.
BJP general secretary and party in-charge of J&K Ram Madhav said the decision to move out of the coalition was taken after inputs from the Home Ministry, agencies, different Ministries and State BJP leaders and the assessment that “It has become untenable for the BJP to continue in the alliance Government in the State”.
The BJP leader said the decision to withdraw was taken after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The BJP-PDP alliance has seemed headed for a collapse after the Kathua rape case when State BJP leaders backed the men accused of kidnapping, gangraping and killing the child from a Muslim tribal community. The BJP decided to pull the plug suspecting that the PDP could decided to end the alliance and score a big political point.
Madhav, who addressed a hurriedly summoned Press conference, listed restoration of peace in the State and development of three regions of the State -- Jammu, ladakh and Kashmir -- without discrimination as the priority areas for the BJP. The BJP leader said though he did not blame the PDP but went on saying “expectations were not met” by the other side and referred to increase in radicalisation that put in danger citizens’ fundamental rights to life and free speech.
He said though the Centre offered a package assistance of Rs 80,000 crore to the State, interlocutor appointed by the Ministry of Home Affairs and 4,000 bunkers constructed for civilians but “The PDP was not fully successful in improving the situation”. He accused that Government headed by the PDP discriminated against Jammu and ladakh.
The break-up was made public after BJP president Amit Shah held a meeting of BJP leaders from the State, including J&K Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta and State BJP president Ravinder Raina, which was attended among others by Madhav and Minister of Sate and MP from Udhampur (Jammu) Jitendra Singh here at party headquarters. This has set the stage for yet another round of Governor’s rule in the border State. If imposed, it will be the fourth time since 2008 and the eighth time since 1977.
According to sources in the party, the political scenario after the collapse of the Government in J&K would benefit the BJP more than the PDP. The BJP is particularly concerned over retaining its support base in Jammu which gave it enough seats in last Assembly poll to form Government with the PDP. BJP’s supporters had of late raised their eyebrows over rising terror attacks in the Valley and government’s unilateral decision to announce ceasefire. Sources said collapse of the coalition will not give a “free hand” to security forces.
The BJP had made significant inroads in the Jammu region in the December 2014 Assembly polls as it bagged 25 of the 37 seats in the 87-member State Assembly, which helped it emerge as the second largest party in J&K after the PDP that had won 28 seats. In 2008, the BJP had won only 11 seats in the Jammu region.
The party, however, failed to make any breakthrough in 2014 in the Kashmir Valley and ladakh where it drew a blank in 50 seats. The NC has 15 seats, the Congress 12 and others seven in the J&K Assembly.
Although the BJP and the PDP had campaigned vigorously against each other, they came together with an agenda of alliance in the hope of pulling the State out of the cycle of violence. But the alliance never took hold and the two parties disagreed on most issues even as the security situation continued to deteriorate.
“Keeping in mind that J&K is an integral part of India and in order to control the prevailing situation in the State, we have decided that the reins of power in the State be handed over to the Governor,” Madhav said in an attempt to explain sudden break-up with the partnership with the PDP which never saw eye to eye with the BJP on the contentious issues like Article 370 and other contentious issues bedeviling the State.