Analysis: Is PDP's alliance with BJP nearing its end?


By Sheikh Qayoom

Jammu/Srinagar, Mar 2 (IANS): With the annual budget from Finance Minister Arun Jaitley ignoring any special package for Jammu and Kashmir, it seems the PDP may divorce the BJP after all.

Given the general disappointment in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) camp, the party appears to have come to the end of the road with regard to its alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

"We were expecting at least two major announcements in the union budget to set the ball rolling for government formation (in Jammu and Kashmir) after the nearly two-month-long stalemate," a former PDP minister who did not want to be named told IANS.

"We expected a financial package to Jammu and Kashmir for buying back two power projects from the NHPC. We also expected announcement of two smart cities for the state.

"These were not hypothetical expectations. We had been given to believe this was happening," added the PDP source.

Two PDP emissaries had been camping in New Delhi for 10 days. Despite no public announcement on parleys between the emissaries and the BJP pointsman on Kashmir, general secretary Ram Madhav, it is common knowledge in the state that they were engaged in government formation negotiations.

PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti told a party rally in Anantnag assembly constituency in south Kashmir on February 28 that the central government needed to carry forward the India-Pakistan peace vision of her father, the late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, whose death as chief minister has sparked political uncertainty in Jammu and Kashmir.

She said this was necessary in order to pave the way for her to don the chief minister's mantle.

In the same speech, she spoke of respecting the "overwhelming mandate" given by the Jammu region in favour of the BJP, praised the freedom of expression in India in comparison to Pakistan, and spoke well of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development agenda.

This was seen as Mehbooba Mufti's way of dangling the olive branch vis-a-vis the BJP and pressing for political concessions.

She, however, said that her taking charge as chief minister should come with a firm promise of peace and progress, and she was not interested in mere flags, cavalcades and sirens.

But despite the passage of nearly two months, the PDP has not succeeded in getting any assurance from the central government over either a financial package for Jammu and Kashmir.

A senior BJP leader in Jammu said: "It is all there in the agenda of alliance and both of us (PDP and BJP) should be content with that. The union budget is a broad-based economic exercise. It can't be expected to focus on state specific issues."

The BJP leader stopped short of confirming whether or not the alliance with the PDP could end on this note.

There are reports that some senior leaders and former ministers are mounting pressure on Mehbooba Mufti to take power because that would give the alliance five years to deliver on promises made to the people.

Mehbooba Mufti alluded to this 'internal pressure' when she told party workers on February 28 that she would not form a government for party workers and ministers but for the people of the state.

Any imminent concession, either political or financial, as a precondition to let Mehbooba Mufti take up the chief ministership is now unlikely from the central government.

So, will the PDP and BJP part ways? Or will they somehow make up and shake hands?


(Sheikh Qayoom can be contacted at sheikh.abdul@ians.in)

  

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Comment on this article

  • Vincent Rodrigues, Promenade Road,Frazer Town,B'lore

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    It is better for PDP to come out of the alliance when their needs has not been considered in the budget.

    DisAgree Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • Ravi, Kapu

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    BJP must not continue alliance with the anti-national PDP. They had praised Afzal Guru.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • JOY CASTELINO, MOODUBELLE/DUBAI

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    We Indians so many political difference each other & we hate so many political leaders each other. But one thing is sure, every political party & each central government given maximum grant to Jammu & Kashmir compared to other states!!!!!!!!.

    DisAgree Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • Raviraj Shetty, Mangalore/UAE

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    Mehboobaji, they don't need you anymore, election is over in Kashmir wait for another 4 years if still BJP is in power at central... Now they don't know exactly where is Kashmir? you know what I mean? So till that time keep PDP's journey on, on central railway.

    DisAgree [10] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shashi Kiran, Mangalore

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    Maybe Modi has gifted Kashmir to Pakis when he attended Nawaz Sharif's birthday. I am sure it was a pre-planned visit but not a surprise visit.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • MASTHAN, DUB

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    BJP DONE NOTHING FOR KASHMIR.

    ONLY BJP CAN WEAR KASHMIR SHAWL

    DisAgree [12] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • sid, mangalore

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    people simply commnet without knowing . this is one state which get the maximum from the government from free food , free education , books , uniforms etc and the same people do pathar( stoning day ) every week to create unrest . If you have the time travel to kashmir speak to the army people

    DisAgree [12] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Prashant Suvarna, Mumbai

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    Sid

    Good Joke..

    DisAgree [5] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • sid, mangalore

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    good you enjoyed the joke . You can travel to kashmeer and have the joke served to you

    DisAgree [1] Agree [1] Report Abuse

  • India First, India

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    PDP alliance is 'Bisi Tuppa' for BJP

    DisAgree [1] Agree [25] Reply Report Abuse

  • jeevan, mangalore

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    BJP must say byee for PDP alliance and Impose president rule.

    DisAgree [35] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    jeeven, very soon all over INDIA ...

    DisAgree [11] Agree [31] Reply Report Abuse

  • Jossey Saldanha, Mumbai

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    The noose is TIGHTENING ...

    DisAgree [5] Agree [20] Reply Report Abuse

  • Alwyn, Mangalore

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    This BJP government is only looking for power and want to destroy the whole nation by sowing poison seeds between religions, communities, States, Cultural practice, eating habits, and political issues.
    Mr. Modi was talking too much and what happen to him? He went to USA and said he is going to start in Cancer Hospital in Haryana where is his promise? What happened his swatch Baharat issue?
    One thing we can watch pretty soon most of Indians will suffer by riots, or dangerous diseases.

    DisAgree [6] Agree [30] Reply Report Abuse

  • Evans Christopher Sumitra, UDUPI/NEW YORK,USA.

    Wed, Mar 02 2016

    It is very much likely that PDP's alliance with BJP is coming to an end. There is too much rift going on between these two since a long time. Just wait and watch.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [22] Reply Report Abuse


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