Jammu, December 6
Besides mainstream opposition parties, a small section of separatist leaders continue to demand holding of the next Assembly poll in Jammu and Kashmir under Governor’s rule on the plea that the ruling National Conference will not allow free and fair election.
The People’s Democratic Party headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is in the forefront of the anti-Farooq campaign. The Mufti has supporters for this movement in separatist quarters.
According to informed sources, some separatist leaders, considered moderates, have conveyed to the Government of India, through mediators, that they would contest the next poll, directly or indirectly, provided it was held under Governor’s rule.
The Mufti and his daughter, Ms Mehbooba Mufti, have been consistent in their allegation that the Chief Minister and his ministerial colleagues, with the help of bureaucrats, would “rig” the next poll.
Even some Congress and BJP leaders favour the poll being held under Governor’s rule. Some moderates among separatists and Mufti Sayeed are of t he opinion that if the next Assembly poll is rigged it would further shatter the people’s faith in the strength of the Indian democracy and thereby, lead to alienation of people and escalation in violence.
The Mufti is said to have conveyed this feeling to men who matter at the Centre but there has been no positive response from the BJP-led NDA government. The BJP leadership at the Centre has fears that if the Farooq regime is dislodged, it could open another anti-centre front in Kashmir where militancy-related violence had yet to show a decline.
As far as Dr Farooq Abdullah is concerned, he is neither prepared to step down before the elections nor ready to confront the BJP-led NDA government. As a partner in the NDA, he has not so far done anything to provoke the Government of India to dislodge him under Article 356 of the Constitution. After the demise of Vaid Vishnu Dutt, a BJP member of the Lok Sabha from Jammu, the NDA cannot afford to displease the Chief Minister whose party has four members in the Lok Sabha.
The current political situation in the state and in Delhi is such will not allow the National Conference leadership to annoy the Centre.
Knowledgeable circles said some separatists were trying to persuade the Government of India to force Dr Abdullah to step down so that they could take part in the elections. The sources said that this was simply a ploy to get rid of Dr Abdullah, which may result in greater alienation of the people.
Dr Abdullah is aware of the pressure being mounted on the Centre to force him to quit before the poll. It is in this context that he told public rallies in Srinagar and Jammu the other day that he would never step down. He has stated that he would request the Election Commission to appoint as many observers as it liked to ensure a free and fair poll.
He has gone to the extent of inviting international observers for monitoring the poll or all national-level political parties could send their observers to the state.
Dr Abdullah and his partymen seem to be confident over the party’s victory in the next poll and this has been the opinion of state agencies which carried out a pre-poll survey in the state.
