The PDP-BJP alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, fraying since the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in January, seems on the brink of collapse a little over a year after the coalition government was formed on March 1 last year.
BJP sources indicated that the alliance may be all but over – barring a sudden turnaround in relations – as the two sides failed to make fresh commitments after PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti made it clear that she wanted assurances on issues she considers central to her party’s political fortunes in the Valley.
While BJP leaders underlined their commitment to their base in Jammu, sources in the PDP camp said Mehbooba was disappointed over the saffron party’s refusal to “commit on a timeline on projects that are already part of the agenda of alliance.”
BJP general secretary in-charge of the state Ram Madhav said the party would not accept new conditions and the alliance should proceed on the basis of the understanding reached with Sayeed. Even if new arrangements were to be considered, these could be done after government formation and not as a set of pre-conditions.
Mehbooba is understood to have ducked a meeting with PM Narendra Modi on Friday at the last moment as she had received no word from BJP on projects in Kashmir that were agreed upon, it is learnt.
The PDP leader, who is Sayeed’s daughter and political heir, has kept the suspense up since the party patriarch passed away. Mehbooba, however, is still in the Capital and a last-ditch attempt to restore the alliance may not be ruled out though prospects appear bleak with BJP unwilling to accept “new conditions” and its ally claiming it is seeking a reiteration on certain issues. A decision has to be reached by April 9 after which the assembly will have to be dissolved.
BJP’s leveraging of issues like challenging the equivalence of state and national flags, and the implementation of a beef ban have been sore points, and PDP leaders have seen these as signs of saffron intrusion and against the sentiment in the Valley. There is concern in PDP over loss of political clout in the light of the perception that BJP and RSS were asserting themselves even though the saffron camp sees these as legitimate political issues.
It seems that finance minister Arun Jaitley’s recent assurance that the Centre was ready to walk the extra mile for the interests of Jammu and Kashmir has not broken the ice. While Mehbooba has said she was ready to carry on her father’s legacy, she also made it clear that development and political issues she has raised should be addressed.
PDP with 27 MLAs and BJP with 25 members had formed an alliance in March 2015 with Sayeed as CM, on the basis of an agenda of alliance which sought to address internal and external dimensions of the state.
Governor’s rule was imposed in the state on January 8 after Mehbooba decided against taking over the reins after her father’s death.
