Why PDP’s Political Mania is fatal?  

Much has been already said and narrated about the present political dispensation of Jammu and Kashmir, where first time in the history BJP took the reins of power with the support of People’s Democratic Party. The discourse from then has taken a U-turn in the political and social aura of the state. However, mixed responses flew in beginning about the holy and unholy aspects of the coalition but a large number of thinkers and well -wishers offered a strong critique of the system of governance, the coalition was working upon.

During the course, the state lost a chief Minister, a statesman and a vibrant politician, the circumstances shook the essence of the coalition; it succumbed. Mufti’s demise bought PDP at a standstill, the party was just 17 years old and it left them in lurch across the lines of making a new chief minister.
As of now, one month has passed and the government formation seems to be a ‘tricky affair’. With every passing day, the consultations and negotiations fail to bring the PDP and its alliance partner BJP in state at any conclusion.
The binding principles of ‘common minimum programme’ under the genesis of which, the government formation took over with the Hindutva-led BJP to seem to be not taking more ground now. From Narendra Modi’s pet project ‘Smart City Initiative’ to the protection of the rights of the minorities, the ‘ideological stance’ between PDP and the BJP experienced large scale dissimilarities.

During the initial days of coalition, the state met a huge financial crunch and the developmental sector had to bear the brunt. The relief to the September 2014 flood victims and the revival of the lost glory of Kashmir valley got a setback thus, resulting in alienation among the people. The phenomenon exposed the system of governance that the centre offered to the state even when the NDA had BJP a coalition partner in the state. The funds didn’t come still, dry treasuries, empty contractors and a salary fewer employees added more fuel to the fire. Stopping funds flow to the state though had many ‘assumptions’ and a fine ‘political backing’ but it bought forward the unholy aspects of the coalition; making PDP a target in line being a local party. The repercussions had a deepening impact on the party, the devaluation of the ‘political face value’ and ‘diminishing’ public faith accompanied the tragedy. Their alliance partner raked up the issue of revoking article 370 and banning of cow slaughter, which fomented the already aggravated situation.

In the middle of raking up these controversies, the BJP had a honeymoon time to flourish. They manned to mint strong public faith in Jammu region where the majority of the population is Hindu. However, in Muslim-dominated areas, the BJP had to face tough resistance.
In going for the long race course of the coalition, the PDP had offered conditional support to BJP but on ground, none of the conditionality worked in letter and spirit. When New Delhi announced central road fund last year, Jammu received Rs 205 crore as compared to Srinagar which got only Rs 193 crore in its bounty. Like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir also failed to get any share in Prime Minister’s Smart City initiative.

In November 2015, when Narendra Modi visited Srinagar and announced Rs 80000 crore package, the PDP had high time to justify the alliance with BJP. While many big-wigs in PDP apprised the Modi government from time to time, it was only recent that both came to halt in government formation after the Mufti’s demise.

Keeping in view the track record, it has been recorded that the New Delhi has pumped such packages in state earlier as well, in an attempt to maintain peace and tranquility in valley. But the Centre’s decision to buy peace in lieu of money has not materialized most often. Development and conflict can’t go side by side in valley, as has been ‘interpreted’ by many thinkers and policy makers based in New Delhi and PDP too used this phenomenon as testimony in state this time, but nothing happened as a breakthrough on ground. Earlier during Omar Abdullah’s tenure as Chief Minister in State ‘funds flow’ was not a big deal. From generation of substantial government jobs to unemployed youth to the creation of over 500 new administrative units, nothing did moot the interest of people in sticking their loyalty to the National Conference. It was 2010 uprising in state which left 120 innocent youth dead of bullets and tear gases, that muddled Omar’s developmental record and he had to face defeat in earlier assembly elections. With this effect, people viewed PDP as a sole option and they were voted in large.

The chemistry between PDP and BJP though differ on ground, but in order to maintain the efficacy in public, the party didn’t bother to resent even in times of abnormalities. If central packages could have been instrumental in bringing Kashmir closer to New Delhi, then Congress would have never lost elections in state. But the story that appears to PDP now is of a different version and the repercussions are obviously shaky.

The people of Kashmir offer a good consumption to the stories that make round in India about the Kashmir cause. Packages and political shows make very less in turning people responsive and PDP must take a cue from this. The coalition partner BJP represents a sect of Hinduvta led ideologists who are cast-fed and have established anti-Muslim sentiment across India. The mess created about the issue of Babri Masjid, Mohammad Ikalq’s murder in Dadri, Muzafarnagar violence and inculcation of insecurity among Muslims will definitely hover over the fate of PDP, if fresh polls are to be held in state. The phobia towards BJP can be spotted from this example that the party failed to get even single seat in Kashmir valley. In spite of remaining abreast with the nuisance that BJP generated, the PDP offered support to them and formed the government. If PDP formed government with BJP with the aim to give development a major push in state, then they must revisit their policy and read history again or if PDP is in arena just to hold the power for few years then the choice is astonishing, as the graph of ‘loyalists’ is already descending.

There is still a long way to go and PDP must take a call or rethink its alliance, if it happens it may gather a support from people in coming years and it can accumulate reasons of standing in public as well. The party has already lost its precious time in government formation and in the middle of Governor Rule, there seems to be a complication thus. If anything happens untoward, the loss has to be shared by the PDP alone and BJP will in no way be affected as they have already occupied Jammu region. Kashmir will decide the fate, as who will go to the assembly and who will stay in opposition.

It is high time for PDP to accelerate the ‘brain-storming’ and read the pulse of the people. There are other options open too, and party should not rely on its earlier experience. Future may be complicated and shocks generated can erase some from map and some will rise without even ‘campaigning’, as people will be again left option less and National Conference will leave no stone unturned in reaping the dividends.

Shahid Andrabi