The very idea of a grand coalition in Jammu and Kashmir has given the BJP jitters, former chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti said on Wednesday, 21 November, after the dissolution of the state Assembly by Governor Satya Pal Malik.
The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was abruptly dissolved by the governor hours after the PDP staked claim to form a government with the backing of rival National Conference and the Congress, followed by another bid from the two-member People's Conference which claimed the support of the BJP and 18 legislators from other parties.
‘Thought I Had Seen it All,’ Says Mehbooba
Mehbooba tweeted, "In my twenty six year old career as a politician, I thought I had seen it all! But like they say never say never! Nevertheless, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to @OmarAbdullah and @Ambikasoni4 ji for helping us achieve the seemingly impossible."
‘Decision Cannot Be Coincidence,’ Says Omar Abdullah
Former chief minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said the governor’s decision to dissolve the Assembly "cannot be a coincidence" as it came within minutes of Mehbooba Mufti staking claim to form the government.
Minutes after Satya Pal Malik’s decision to dissolve the state Assembly, Abdullah tweeted:
‘Democracy Standing on its Head’: Chidambaram
Former Finance Minister and Congress leader P Chidambaram lashed out at Governor Malik and indicated that the Assembly was dissolved following the announcement of the ‘grand-coalition.’
As long as no one staked a claim to form government, J&K Governor was happy to keep Assembly under suspension. The moment someone staked a claim, he dissolved the Assembly! Parliamentary democracy standing on its head!P Chidambaram
Congress leader Manish Tewari termed the decision to dissolve the Assembly as "unconstitutional, immoral and unethical", adding that it was a "murder of democracy.”
BJP’s Policy Either Me Or Nobody: Congress’ Azad
Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Ghulam Nabi Azad said while the talks for formation of a popular government were in its infancy, the BJP government at the Centre was so worried that they dissolved the state assembly.
"It is clear that BJP's policy is either we or nobody," Azad told PTI.
Best Option For the State, Says BJP
The BJP, on the other hand, said the best option in J&K is to have fresh Assembly polls at the earliest as it slammed the proposed alliance of opposition parties as a "combination of terror-friendly parties".
Taking to Twitter, soon after the state governor dissolved the Assembly amid claims by rival formations on forming a government, the BJP said that the border state cannot afford horse-trading and instability keeping its security scenario in mind.
"The best option in such a scenario is to go in for a fresh election at the earliest. This assembly cannot produce a stable government," it added.
J&K BJP President Ravinder Raina welcomed the decision taken by Governor Satya Pal Malik to dissolve the Assembly.
“Once again, the NC, Congress and the PDP hatched a conspiracy in Jammu & Kashmir that would have done injustice to Jammu and Ladakh. Will they form alliance before elections,” questioned Raina.
Other Opposition Parties React
Veteran politician and Loktantri Janata Dal Chief Sharad Yadav on Thursday called the dissolution of the J&K Assembly a "murder of democracy.”
"Democracy has been murdered in J&K by dissolving the assembly. I oppose and condemn the dissolution," Yadav said.
The seven-term Lok Sabha MP also criticised the government's decision to hold the urban and rural civic body polls in the state as, he said, the elections had been held without participation of the major political parties in the state.
Yadav said the BJP neither cares for the Constitution nor does it have any respect for various institutions of the country.
In a tweet written in Hindi, Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav called the decision “undemocratic” and expressed fears of “democracy being under threat.”
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