*NC, PDP blame each other
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 9: Even as Jammu and Kashmir today came under Governor’s Rule, the BJP said it was in talks with PDP and National Conference over formation of Government in the State while NC and PDP blamed each other for imposition of Central rule in the State.
BJP president Amit Shah in Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh) and Union Minister for Communications Ravi Shankar Prasad in New Delhi claimed that the BJP’s parleys with both PDP and NC were on and they will continue for formation of the Government.
Shah, who was in Vijayawada, said the BJP is in talks with both PDP and NC and would like to form the next Government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our talks are going on with the two parties in Jammu and Kashmir. We will let you know once there is a development. We are trying to form a BJP Government in the State,” Shah said dropping enough hints that the BJP wants to lead the first ever Government in the State notwithstanding the fact that it bagged 25 seats, three short of PDP’s 28, which has emerged as single largest party followed by NC’s 15 and Congress 12 in the hung Assembly.
The BJP was negotiating with both the parties to lead the Government.
Meanwhile, the National Conference and rival People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today blamed each other for imposition of Governor’s Rule in the State following prolonged stalemate over formation of a Government in the State.
Former Chief Minister and NC working president Omar Abdullah blamed the PDP for the Governor’s Rule accusing patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed of continuing the deadlock in a bid to get a full six-year term as Chief Minister from the BJP.
He wrote on micro-blogging site twitter: “it’s been months since the State had a full fledged administration and the people can’t wait for Mufti Sayeed to negotiate his six-year term”.
In a series of tweets after Jammu and Kashmir was brought under Governor’s Rule, Omar said restoration and rehabilitation in the aftermath of the floods in the State was suffering as accountable administration was absent besides a humanitarian problem on the border.
“Yet the @jkpdp would like the limbo to continue as people suffer only so the Mufti can force a 6 yr term as CM from the BJP,” he tweeted
Omar had asked the Governor to relieve him as a caretaker Chief Minister on Wednesday as he believed that a full-fledged administration was required to help the people of the State.
He termed as “amazing” PDP’s contention that NC’s offer of support in Government formation was non-serious.
“For the @jkpdp to claim that my offer to them was a non-serious one is amazing. They know who the intermediary was so they should ask him,” Omar said. The NC had offered support to the PDP, which has 28 MLAs in the 87-member state Assembly. Election results were announced on December 23.
“I’m sorry after an election with such a good turnout we have a situation of Governor’s Rule but as I’ve maintained the onus lies with JKPDP,” he said.
Omar said he now plan to visit his constituency.
“Lastly, if @ jkpdp have a Govt in place before the 19th of Jan I’ll publicly acknowledge that they were right & I was wrong. Let’s see now.
“That out of the way I’m going to enjoy being back in Srinagar and will now plan my trips to my constituency over the next few days,” he tweeted.
People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today said that the Governor’s Rule in the State is a temporary and brief phase and the party is working for a stable Government in the State.
PDP chief spokesman Nayeem Akhtar, blamed former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for imposition of Governor’s Rule and said that he behaved irresponsibly.
“It is Omar Abdullah who has acted in the irresponsible manner and violated the democratic conventions developed in this country. A Government voted out of power has to do routine governance till next Government sworn in,” Akhtar said.
The PDP spokesman said that NC wanted PDP to take a hasty decision that could have fitted into NC’s game plan. “We could have staked claim for government formation but Omar suddenly threw the tantrum and decided to quit,” he said.
“We are focused on government formation. Our priorities are establishing permanent peace in the State, reconciliation, taking forward trans-LoC travel and trade, good governance, development, bringing accountability and to providing justice to the people which has been denied so far”, said Akhtar.
The PDP spokesman said that the party had time till January 19 but Omar’s decision led to imposition of governor’s rule in the State. “This is nothing new. NC has done it in 2002 also. However, at that time also, they failed to carry out their sinister design and they tried to convert their defeat into victory. This time they will fail”, he added.
“We will give a stable and corruption free Government to the State. We realize the people have voted for peoples’ government and not for the Governor’s Rule. We will defeat NC’s game plan. We will form Government soon”, said Akhtar.
Meanwhile, Union Minister and senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said the development (imposition of Governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir) is an “evolving situation”.
Reacting to the development in New Delhi, Union Communications Minister and BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said that “it is an evolving situation” in J-K and he cannot make any off-the-cuff remark in that regard.
As to the imposition of Governor’s Rule, Prasad said, “There is a constitutional limitation of time (January 19 in this case) and the reluctance of Abdullah to continue as caretaker Chief Minister.
“These are logistical issues which have to be taken into account because, pending the evolution of a stable Government … You cannot completely close down governance.”
Prasad added that BJP wants a stable Government in J-K and discussions are ongoing for that.
BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra, meanwhile, said that the mandate which the parties have got in J-K is such that no one can form a Government as of now.
“Democratically, talks are on. In such a scenario… See to it that governance does not suffer in J-K and legitimate steps are taken,” he said.
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