Priya Sethi
Having betrayed their own people several times especially by boycotting elections – a process which is mandated for any political party and failed to deliver during their respective regimes, Congress, National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) on Wednesday made a futile attempt to forge alliance as part of their last minute effort to gain some foothold which could make them survive as three families run (two regional and one national) political parties.
However, Governor Satya Pal Malik sensed the pulse of these power-hungry political parties and dissolved the assembly to their sheer shock. The decision was well within the ambit of constitutional provision that gave these political outfits sufficient time to stake their claim but since they all were poles apart in terms of their ideologies and were hopeful of grabbing power with Centre’s help, a move which BJP never approved, they could not muster courage to forge such an alliance that had no basis or any strong footing. Hence, suspended assembly was dissolved.
Fast emergence of People’s Conference (PC) and Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) on the political horizon of Jammu and Kashmir especially when these parties had swept recently concluded Urban Local Body (ULB) polls and are doing good in Panchayat elections as well was another major reason for these poles-apart political parties coming together. Their prime aim was to keep PC as well as other political parties at a bay even if they had to join hands against the wills and wishes of people of all three regions of the state.
These three failed political outfits now stand cornered and exposed. Still unfortunate is that while PDP failed to deliver despite being on the wheel since 2014, NC and Congress could not play the role of a good opposition during past four years as well. They not only failed people but also lost trust of their workers who now will be asked to work for sending their leaders into state legislative assembly as and when elections will be announced. This is sheer breach of trust and an assault on the political career of thousands of NC and PDP workers.
Now that so called ‘Grand Alliance’ collapsed before it could see the light of day, its prime objective was to keep People’s Conference (PC) comprising of young Kashmiri leaders belonging to different areas of province at a bay like National Conference did in 1987 by rigging polls and making new political aspirants land in jails. In a way, a blunder that could have turned tables in Jammu and Kashmir and jeopardized peace efforts which were being repeated blatantly just to grab power and block entire political space for other political outfits stand demolished.
Knowingly that all three parties including Congress, PDP and NC have failed to come up to people’s expectations, they still were trying to impose third dynasty on people of Jammu and Kashmir through these manipulations despite the fact that they all were never on the same page. Despite people’s mandate that these parties must stay in opposition they were going to impose themselves on them which was not only undemocratic but against the wills and wishes of people of all three regions of state.
People have already tried, tested and proved these parties failure. It was National Conference which after gaining two-third majority in 1996 unleashed reign of corruption in the state after which it was ousted. However, when in 2002 PDP joined hands with Congress a new approach of sharing power turn by turn was introduced in Jammu and Kashmir that failed. PDP withdrew support and made Ghulam Nabi Azad the then Chief Minister pack his bags for Delhi.
Having tasted bitterness of alliance, PDP which was floated with sole aim of giving people a credible alternative in Jammu and Kashmir and ending dynastic rule of National Conference again jumped into fray but had to satisfy itself by sitting on opposition benches. This was in 2008 when Congress went back to its ally NC and occupied treasury benches in state legislative assembly. The rule however proved worst as the government couldn’t hold elections to local bodies and encouraged corruption repeating 1996.
In 2014 when PDP forged post-poll alliance with BJP it still remained Kshmir centric and failed people of Jammu and Ladakh. The end result since 1996 was two time ouster of NC, two time ouster of PDP and once Congress. These parties were rejected by people. This was the reason that people preferred to give space of PC, BJP or independents in recently concluded ULB polls that became basis for these parties to feel ground slipping beneath their feet and hence possible alliance attempts emerged.
Knowingly that PDP was floated with sole aim of keeping corrupt forces at bay, Mehbooba Mufti made a futile attempt to join hands with same Congress which it left and NC which Mufti Mohammad Sayeed opposed throughout his life. Without any formal letters of support, she forwarded her own letter staking claim to form government was not only novice but a blunder. Taking the plea of Article 35-A which is sub-judice these parties were going to join hands for nothing but power.
Now that the ‘Grand Alliance’ has collapsed before its formation the fact will always speak truth about their intentions to not let common people of Kashmir taste power ever. This is in reference to People’s Conference which was stopped from coming to power by Congress, PDP and NC.
( The author is former Minister and Spokesperson BJP J&K)
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