All eyes are on the Peoples’ Democratic Party to come up with its decision on government formation. It seems while its leadership is yet to decide its future course, there is a strong line of thinking in the PDP that its alliance with the BJP has proved detrimental to its interests and halted its growth, particularly in the Kashmir Valley.
Former state education minister Naeem Akhtar, a senior PDP leader, makes it clear that he feels the “Agenda of the Alliance”, the common minimum programme reached between the two sides before government formation last year, has not made any real headway. “We will review how much the PDP has achieved vis-a-vis fulfilling the ‘development vision’ of our patron and former CM Mufti Muhammad Sayeed,” he said, adding: “Mufti Sahib had a vision for making J&K a modern state — a paradise of peace.”
He also said the PDP will assess whether Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken any decisions on it. Elaborating, Mr Akhtar, who was very close to Sayeed, said: “Our governance agenda included making smart cities, bringing power projects now under NHPC (National Hydel Power Corp) back and see early completion of other projects so that Mufti Sahib’s dream of making Jammu and Kashmir the fastest-growing state in the entire country is realised. We will analyse how much that was achieved and if we can work smoothly on the governance agenda in future.”
He insisted the party leadership has not as yet sat down to discuss this and take a final call, but went on to indicate, quite significantly, that other options were still open for the PDP on government formation. He said: “The PDP had not formed the government with the BJP for power. The PDP is not power hungry. It always wanted to represent the people of Jammu and Kashmir to fulfil their rights and expectations which they have from (the rest of) the country. Today our party has the same stand for the people.”
PDP spokesman Mehboob Beg had reportedly said on Tuesday that the terms of alliance already worked out with the BJP would continue to govern the relationship between the two in the next government. He also added that PDP president Mehbooba Mufti will respect the people’s mandate and carry forward the agenda of development set by the late chief minister. But the party quickly distanced itself from his statement, and said this issue hadn’t come up for formal discussion in the party and, therefore, no decision had been taken.
Mr Akhtar also went on to say that no timeframe has been set for government formation. “It isn’t about a timeframe but about a frame of mind,” he asserted.
PDP sources said its leadership wants clearcut assurances from the BJP on the state’s “reasonable needs” as it feels the latter has only gone back on commitments made in the “Agenda of the Alliance”. One key concern is “fund-choking” by the Centre, which it feels became a stumbling block in Mr Sayeed’s “mission” and also came in the way of the rehabilitation of the September 2014 flood sufferers and the overall development process. It is quite unhappy at the Centre’s “unilaterally trimming” from the PM’s “development package” the equity promised to the state for buying back two power projects from NHPC that had received PMO clearance. “The party will assess whether the Government of India has taken any decisions on these issues,” Mr Akhtar said.
A senior BJP leader, asked about the PDP’s fears, said the “Agenda of the Alliance is for six years... we have been in the government for only 10 months. It is too early to draw conclusions or pass judgments”.
Earlier on Wednesday, the BJP had asked PDP to decide “immediately” on government formation. “I think Mehboobaji should take an immediate call on government formation. This uncertainty should end. We want the development of Jammu and Kashmir,” BJP national vice-president and J&K in-charge Avinash Rai Khanna was quoted as saying by local news agency KNS. He also said the PDP should decide swiftly on who would head the new government. “The party should choose who will be leader. We cannot let people be in confusion. We believe the PDP will take some concrete decision in this regard.”
He, however, termed as “mere speculation” reports that both parties had put up fresh conditions on government formation. He said no political discussion had taken place between the two sides as Ms Mufti was in deep mourning sfter her father’s death last week.
Former transport minister and state BJP leader Abdul Gani Kohli said the PDP chief cannot opt for alternatives “as she will not like to go against her father’s wish”. He told Rising Kashmir newspaper that Mr Sayeed created a path in the form of the BJP-PDP coalition for equitable development of the state and Ms Mufti, who was close to her father, would not deviate from this path. He said: “Her father’s mission was to revive India-Pakistan talks and help it happen. So she cannot break the alliance with the BJP.”
