It looks like all is not hunky-dory with the political situation in the state. Despite Governor rule being in place and apparently for the long term, the efforts are being made to cobble together a new coalition government comprising the disgruntled members from the various political parties, including from the PDP. Or so it seems. Already, the senior PDP leader and former minister Imran Raza Ansari and his uncle Abid Ansari have raised a banner of revolt. They have been joined by another legislator Abbas Wani from Tangmarg. So, what is really cooking up? It is still premature to surmise about it. But from the appearance of things, something appears certainly amiss. And lending the situation further seriousness is the ‘democratic history’s of the state which is replete with such unholy alliances, made possible by the interference of New Delhi. There are many such alliances that one can recall, the last of which was the defection of a number of legislators from National Conference in 1984 to form a government with the support of Congress headed by Ghulam Mohammed Shah. But such brazen manipulation of the people’s mandate has wrought havoc with the democratic system in the state. One of the detrimental fallouts was the loss of faith in the operation of democracy in the state, which in turn became one of the contributory factors in the resort to armed struggle in 1989. Ever since, while the centre has made many more blunders in regard to handling of the situation in the state, it has been chary about messing up with the democracy in the state. This was a redline that was strictly followed. But it looks like now the Hindu nationalistic government at the centre is set to breach this line too.
True, the senior BJP leader and the erstwhile architect of the PDP-BJP coalition Ram Madhav has said that his party was not into government formation. But the ongoing developments in the state prove otherwise. The summary shifting of loyalties by some leaders presages a movement towards formation of a new government – and not really through a normal alliance of the political parties. Both Congress and National Conference have already ruled out an alliance with the PDP to form a government. So has the CPI(M) leader Mohammed Yusuf Tarigami. Apparently, thus, there is little chance for the government formation. In a sense, one could thus dismiss the rebellion of the three PDP legislators. But what if the obverse is true: a design is already in works which could culminate into a government formation through unfair means. And should this come to pass, this will be a deeply unfortunate development. Certainly, some people will benefit but its fallout will be profoundly detrimental and long term.
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