J&K likely headed for Governor's rule

With talks between the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Peoples Democratic Party on government formation in Jammu and Kashmir making no headway, the state seems to be headed for a spell of governor’s rule. 

The two parties have held rounds of discussions on government formation in the state in recent days at various levels. 

According to reports, the BJP has put forward the pre-condition of rotational chief minister for further discussions on other issues as a forward movement in cobbling together the coalition government.

The PDP has ruled out forming a grand alliance with the Congress and the National Conference -- a proposal put forward by senior Congress leader and former Union health minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Senior PDP leaders while ruling out the alliance cited the development needs of the state for forging an alliance with the BJP, the party in power at the Centre, to ensure flow of funds particularly Rs 44,000 crore for rehabilitation of victims of the September 2014 floods.

“The state is heavily dependent on the central assistance for its development requirements. So our first preference would be to go with the party ruling at the Centre,” a senior PDP leader said.

Omar Abdullah, the caretaker chief minister, on Wednesday criticized the PDP for also ‘talking about governor’s rule when the National Conference was ready to support them’.

The situation bears a striking resemblance to the one that was thrown up by the September 2002 state assembly polls when in the absence of any party securing a majority, the then caretaker chief minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah refused to continue on the post and the state was placed under a brief spell of governor’s

rule.

Dr Farooq Abdullah had met the then state governor, G C Saxena and told him that ‘it would be difficult for him to continue as caretaker chief minister’. 

Governor’s rule was imposed in the state on October 17, 2002.

Later, the Congress and the PDP formed a coalition and a government with the PDP patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed heading the government for the first couple of years and then senior Congress leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad taking over for the remaining term.

Omar Abdullah met Governor N N Vohra on Wednesday and is understood to have conveyed to the latter his inability to continue as the caretaker chief minister.

In the recently-concluded election, the NC could manage only 15 seats. PDP emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats followed by BJP with 25 in the 87-member House. Congress won 12 seats.

The new government is required to be constituted before January 19 when the term of the current assembly expires failing which Governor's rule looks inevitable. Omar's decision means such a rule may have to be imposed earlier.