In hazy J-K scenario, parties explore non-BJP alliance

Arun Joshi
Tribune News Service
Jammu, December 28
Political parties have put their efforts in top gear to cobble together numbers to form a viable government.
While negotiations have moved almost in all directions, with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the BJP talking to other groups, the merits and demerits of the proposed grand alliance of the National Conference (NC), Congress and PDP versus the BJP have also come under discussion.
The Peoples Democratic Party and BJP, the two prime players in the government formation because of their numbers, 28 and 25 seats, respectively, are ideally the guarantee for bridging the regional and communal divide that came to the fore during the elections, but they are apprehensive of rushing into the arms of each other because of the possible post-poll alliance scenario as their agendas clash on Article 370 and the revocation of AFSPA.
Ram Madhav, BJP general secretary, who had held talks with leaders in Kashmir on Friday and Saturday, has briefed the top leaders of the party on the nature of discussions.
The NC is more open to the idea of alliance because it doesn’t have much at stake. The two parties were engaged in discussions before caretaker Chief Minister Omar Abdullah left for London. The talks have picked up once again.
NC leaders were holding negotiations with the BJP, while denying the same for they didn’t want to be seen going with the rightwing party first. As part of their strategy, they have lent hype to their public statements, “our support to PDP is a serious offer and now it is for PDP to take a call”. The PDP, however, denied any contact with the NC.
The PDP has intensified the internal consultations. “PDP patron Mufti Sahib (Mufti Mohammad Sayeed) has held consultations with all legislators and has got their feedback. He has asked them to gather the feedback from the cadre and people,” said chief spokesperson for the PDP said Naeem Akhtar today.
The options that the PDP has before it is either to go with right wing BJP or become part of the “grand alliance” with the NC and the Congress, a theme invented to keep the BJP out of power.
Keeping BJP out of power has its own inherent dangers as the party is representing Hindus at large and to some extent Muslims of the Jammu region.
The PDP is also conscious that the Congress will not be able to dictate terms as it did in the first coalition between the two from 2002-2008. The Congress has only 12 seats in the Assembly.