As the Independent legislator from Zanskar assembly segment of Ladhak a region stung a surprise by voting against the candidate of the ruling Peoples’ Democractic party at the instance of BJP the ally of PDP in the coalition government, cracks in ruling PDP-BJP coalition are deepening to the extent of threatening the survival of the Mehbooba government any time now. Though so for PDP and BJP were running the alliance smoothly despite differing on many controversial decisions concerning article 370 guaranteeing special status of the state and BJP’s overt and covert backtracking on commitment to invoke certain confidence building measures (CBMs) in the state, but it is for the first time BJP conspired against ally PDP in an attempt to get bigger share in power sharing arrangement. Though PDP has every reason to accuse its ally BJP of violating the power sharing agreement but the party president and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti is yet to convey her displeasure to BJP high command over the controversial role of local BJP leadership in the election of a legislative council seat which should have gone to PDP on the basis of power sharing agreement reached between the two parties. Since the disappointment within the PDP over BJP’s betrayal in the election of a council seat from Jammu is virtually embarrassing for Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti herself, the insiders within the ruling PDP may question Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti over the issue as she also holds the responsibility of party presidency. As the BJP top brass had asked Vikram Randhawa a party leaders to file his nomination papers for the seat which was supposed to be left for the PDP to contest, it is quite evident that local BJP leadership in connivance with the party’s central high command has conspired against the PDP in the election for this very council seat. By conceding third legislative council seat from Kashmir to BJP in last two years, PDP has failed to take care of its party interests as BJP was in no way expected to concede one more legislative council seat to PDP from Jammu.
BJP not proving itself a trusted coalition partner by conspiring with an Independent candidate Bakir Rizvi known for his loyalty to PDP has shaken the roots of confidence and mutual trust required for smooth working of a coalition government.
Unlike PDP never in the past National Conference has conceded any assembly or council seat to its ally Congress and keeping in view the representation of PDP in the assembly from Kashmir valley the PDP top should not have conceded any legislative council seat from Kashmir to its ally BJP. Unfortunate it is that so for PDP has conceded three council seats to BJP including those claimed by Sofi Yousuf, Surinder Ambardar and G L Raina but BJP has not conceded even a single seat to PDP from Jammu division. As there was an understanding between the two allies for safe passage of Abdul Qayoom Dar, PDP should questioned BJP’s right to field Vikram Randhawa as its candidate at the very initial stage. BJP not proving itself a trusted coalition partner by conspiring with an Independent candidate Bakir Rizvi known for his loyalty to PDP has shaken the roots of confidence and mutual trust required for smooth working of a coalition government.
