J&K Guv cites horse-trading as reason for dissolving Assembly

Tribune News Service

Jammu, November 21

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the Assembly with immediate effect considering four main aspects, including “extensive horse-trading”, the Raj Bhavan said in a statement late tonight.

According to a spokesperson for the Raj Bhavan, the Governor took the decision on the basis of material available to him from multiple sources. Citing the main reasons in four points, the statement said: “The impossibility of forming a stable government by the coming together of political parties  with opposing political ideologies, including some which have been demanding dissolution of the Assembly; whereas the experience of the past few years shows that with the fractured mandate that is there in the Assembly, it is not possible to form a stable  government comprising like-minded parties. The coming together of such parties in a grouping is nothing but  an attempt to gain power rather than to form a responsive government.”

“Reports of extensive horse-trading and possible exchange of  money in order to secure the support of legislators belonging to widely diverging political ideologies just to be able to form a government. Such activities are not healthy for democracy and vitiate the political process,” it said.

The third reason cited was “serious doubts about the longevity of any such arrangement where there are competing claims of majority”.

It added: “The fragile security scenario in the state where there is a need to have a stable environment for security forces which are engaged in extensive anti- militancy operations and  are gradually gaining control over the security situation.