Though Governor in the absence of popular government in any state of the country has to show restrain from being a party to any political controversy but the incumbent Governor of Jammu & Kashmir is taking unwanted decisions to create new contentious political issues directly connected with regional and religious emotions of people in all the three regions of the state the time when his priority should have been the conduct of early assembly elections along with Lok Sabha election for full scale restoration of popular rule in the state. The timing choosen for grant of division status to Ladhak region comprising of just two districts having just over three lakh population with headquarter at Leh against the whims and wishes of the people of Kargil shows the intents of the governor to polarize people in Ladhak region ahead of Lok Sabha and assembly elections in the state. The decision of granting division status to Ladhak region shortly after the quitting of Member Parliament both from the Ladhak Lok Sabha seat and as well as BJP is a clear cut indication that governor’s decision is part of a damage control exercise which BJP has initiated to curb rising dissidence within the BJP. Interestingly the fresh round of controversy between Jintendra Singh the Minister of State in the Prime Ministers Officer and former BJP Minister Lal Singh shows that dissidence in the saffron party is deepening and may further deepen in coming weeks.
Since both the central government and as well as the governor’s administration is dropping hints of deferring assembly elections, the governor seems to be showing deeper interest in creating new contentious political issues just to take lame excuses for the deferment of the assembly elections along with Lok Sabha elections in the state as political unrest in any one of the three regions of the state can be the only lame excuse for the governor to seek deferment of assembly elections in the state.
Painting a political colour to dissidence rampant in PDP by saying “ PDP breaking down, don’t take serious statements of Mehbooba Mifti’ and taking controversial decisions of huge political ramifications in Ladhak region just to ensure the return of a former BJP MP to the saffron party clearly shows the intents of governor to be part of the agenda of the political party in power at the centre in contradiction to the standards of political neutrality which a governor has to show in discharge of his legislative and administrative duties more so in the absence of a popular government. The protests in Kargil district over the selection of headquarter for the offices of divisional commission and Range IGP Ladhak show that governor’s action is bringing two districts of Ladhak region on the path of confrontation and the consequences of such a controversial decision can even lead to political unrest in the Ladhak region. Since both the central government and as well as the governor’s administration is dropping hints of deferring assembly elections, the governor seems to be showing deeper interest in creating new contentious political issues just to take lame excuses for the deferment of the assembly elections along with Lok Sabha elections in the state as political unrest in any one of the three regions of the state can be the only lame excuse for the governor to seek deferment of assembly elections in the state.
