J&K: The real puzzle for govt formation remains unsolved, politicking heats up

Srinagar: The hung verdict has forced various political parties to do the math for government formation and with that politicking has only heated up in the state.

Both regional Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), which is the single largest party with 28 seats, and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) having the backing of two members of Sajad Gani Lone’s Peoples’ Conference apart from 25 seats in its own bag are exploring government formation.

While PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said her party 'is in no hurry' as it assesses likely partners, the BJP reiterated it has kept all options open and appointed senior party leaders Arun Jaitley and Arun Singh as observers to ascertain views of party MLAs in the state.

Some observers say the split mandate and more importantly the fact that the state’s two major distant regions of Jammu and the Valley have reposed faith in the BJP and the PDP, respectively, only a coalition government between the two will be legitimate. But both are, so far, unenthusiastic about entering into such an arrangement on ideological grounds and keeping in view the psyche of the people who voted in their favour.

Hence, the PDP’s “natural choice” is Congress party which has won 12 seats and is, in fact, more than willing to extend its support to the party to keep the BJP at bay. Senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Saifuddin Soz on Wednesday reiterated they were open as they have allied with PDP in the past. Mr. Soz termed PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as a “seasoned politician who won’t give the BJP a chance to form government.”

But in cobbling up a government the two would still need four MLAs to make up the numbers. A party or alliance needs 44 seats in the 87-member Assembly to form government.

On the other hand, the BJP too is caught up in similar catch-22 situation rather it is more difficult for it to make up the numbers minus PDP as Mr. Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) is reported to be indisposed to joining hands with it (BJP) to form a coalition government in the belief that it would consume whatever support it still enjoys among the people of the Valley who have discarded the saffron party in the elections.

The BJP has failed to win even a single seat in the Muslim majority Kashmir Valley and all but one of its candidates could not even save their deposits.

But according to BJP general secretary and in-charge J&K affairs, Ramesh Arrora, majority of the party’s state cadre support alliance with NC. He said though the final decision of the government formation is left with the party high command, it has already been appraised about the opinion of state cadres on the issue.

Earlier on Tuesday, BJP chief Amit Shah had, “All options are open. The option of forming a BJP government is open. The option of supporting somebody is also open. The option of joining some government is also open... all three options are open." In a significant development, Hakeem Muhammad Yasin, leader of regional Peoples’ Democratic Front, who has won election from home constituency Khan Sahib in Kashmir Valley on Wednesday declared his support to the BJP in government formation. With that the rally of BJP and its allies has risen to 28, bringing them at par with the PDP.

While the BJP is more inclined to an alliance with the NC, Mr. Abdullah after putting in his papers said he will not take the lead for talks on government formation but would be attending to personal matters first. He is leaving for London where his parents have undergone surgery recently.

He said, “Government formation is the responsibility of the BJP and the PDP because they have more numbers than the National Conference.” However, party sources said that the NC is willing to extend support to the PDP from outside to enable it to form new government and, in fact, has already conveyed this to the part from ‘well wishers’ of the two.

The PDP may, however, not opt for it as it would be very difficult for it to sell such bargain to its supporters who have “wholeheartedly” voted in its favour to get rid of the NC rule.