Gordian knot in Kashmir

Three weeks after the outcome of the most keenly fought assembly elections in troubled Jammu and Kashmir, absence of a new government is certainly an anti-climax. The mandate is so fractured that the contending parties are unable to bridge the gaps – political, ideological and those caused by contentious issues special to the state. It is suspended animation, or shall we say, animated suspension of the popular will being translated into formation of a government?

As a result, those who contributed to the second highest number of seats by Bharatiya Janata Party that rules at the Centre and those who saw it as a ‘conspiracy’ and worked hard to thwart it, are unable to cut the Gordian knot. Last Tuesday, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah bowled a political googly with a letter to Governor N N Vohra offering his National Conference's support to the People's Democratic Party (PDP) on government formation. It has taken the PDP by surprise. The offer’s rejection and the charge of being power-hungry have only made the NC more adroit. It has offered outside support and a declaration that it would not seek power. Everyone knows this is NC’s attempt to scuttle PDP’s chances to forge an alliance with the BJP. As conditions for a partnership, the PDP wants resumption of talks with Pakistan, talks with Kashmiri separatists, revocation of the controversial AFSPA (Armed Forces Special Powers Act), strengthening of Article 370 and installing Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as Chief Minister for the full six-year term of the assembly. On many of those issues, the BJP's stated position is the exact opposite.

The BJP is eager to be part of the government for the first time in the country's only Muslim majority state, but a marriage with the PDP will not be a smooth affair as both parties are ideologically poles apart. Both desperately need to be in the government, but because of serious ideological differences and local political pressures, they have failed to stitch up an alliance so far. If the PDP has local compulsions, for the BJP, the Delhi elections come as an obstacle. Anything it does in J& K is bound to impact the polls in the national capital.

If Delhi elections have become a factor for the BJP, for the PDP, it is the skirmishes with Pakistan that are displacing thousands along the Line of Control and the international border. Under the circumstances, it seems doubtful if Sayeed would like to take oath as the Chief Minister. However, the parleys, or the lack of them, cannot be indefinite after Omar forced the issue and resigned as caretaker chief minister. The outcome is the imposition of the governor’s rule. The question both the parties must answer is: Will the separatists who gave a ‘boycott’ call that was rejected by the people who came out in droves to vote have the last laugh?

By: Mahendra Ved