Vohra recommends Gov’s Rule; forwards report to Prez

It has become untenable for BJP to continue in alliance govt : Madhav

20/06/2018

JAMMU/SRINAGAR, Jun 19: In a surprise move, the BJP today pulled out of the three-year-old ruling coalition with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir and called for governor's rule, which appeared imminent, after which Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti quit.
Governor N N Vohra recommended imposition of Central rule in his report to President Ram Nath Kovind, a copy of which was also forwarded to the Union Home Ministry, according to a Raj Bhavan spokesperson in Srinagar. Kovind is currently abroad.
BJP general secretary Ram Madhav made the announcement that the party was withdrawing support to the coalition government.
The announcement came after the BJP high command summoned its Jammu and Kashmir ministers for emergency consultations in New Delhi. The state government has been wracked by bitter political feuds and worsening security challenges.
A few hours later, Mehbooba, 59, submitted her resignation to Governor Vohra amid a swirl of political activity in Srinagar and New Delhi.
"It has become untenable for the BJP to continue in the alliance government in Jammu and Kashmir," Madhav told a hurriedly called press conference in Delhi.
Officials said the news that the BJP had pulled out of its alliance with the PDP was broken to Mehbooba by Vohra that brought her tenure to an abrupt end. Mehbooba succeeded her father Mufti Mohammed Sayeed as chief minister on April 4, 2016 after his death.
The BJP won 25 seats and the PDP 28 in the 87-member assembly and came together in alliance, two months after the December 2014 elections. The NC has 15 seats, the Congress 12 and others seven.
Madhav said the decision to withdraw was taken after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah.
The BJP blamed the PDP for failing to improve the security conditions in the Kashmir Valley. Madhav cited last week's killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari in the heart of Srinagar in the highly secured area of Press Enclave by unidentified gunmen. The same day -- two days before Eid -- an Army jawan was abducted while going on Eid leave and killed.
"Keeping in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and in order to control the prevailing situation in the state, we have decided that it is high time the reins of power in the state be handed over to the governor," Madhav added.
Terrorism, violence and radicalism have risen and the fundamental rights of citizens, including right to life and free speech, are in danger, the BJP leader said.
"Centre did everything for the Valley. We've tried to put a full-stop to the ceasefire violations by Pakistan. PDP has not been successful in fulfilling its promises. Our leaders have been facing a lot of difficulties from PDP in developmental works in Jammu and Ladakh," he added.
"We are not questioning the intentions of PDP but they have failed in improving the condition of life in Kashmir," he added.
Mehbooba Mufti raised the bogey of Article 370 that grants special status to J and K as well as unilateral ceasefire, saying the "muscular security policy" will not work in the state and that reconciliation is the key.
"I am not shocked as this alliance was never for power. PDP never believes in power politics and we worked for the people," she told reporters after an hour-long meeting with her ministers and party workers at her residence after her resignation.
Mehbooba maintained that Jammu and Kashmir was not an enemy territory as being perceived by few. "We had always said muscular security policy will not work in J-K, reconciliation is key," she said.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah, whose party is the third biggest in the assembly, captured the drama with one sentence, "I wish Mehbooba Mufti had resigned herself... instead of the having the rug pulled from under her feet."
Both Omar and the Congress said they will not form an alliance with any party to form government in the state. The BJP also said it favours governor's rule.
If imposed, it will be the fourth time since 2008 and the eighth time since 1977.
Although the BJP and the PDP had campaigned vigorously against each other, they came together with an Agenda of Alliance in the hope of pulling the state out of the cycle of violence.
But the alliance never took hold and the two parties disagreed on most issues even as the security situation continued to deteriorate.
Immediately after Madhav's news conference, senior PDP minister and party's chief spokesperson Naeem Akhthar told reporters in Srinagar that the BJP's decision had caught the party by surprise.
BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta told reporters in Delhi that he and his ministerial colleagues have submitted their resignations to the governor as well as to the chief minister.
Governor N N Vohra today forwarded his report to President Ram Nath Kovind for imposition of Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir after the BJP pulled out of the coalition government and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tendered her resignation.
The report was sent to the President after Vohra held consultations with Mehbooba, BJP state chief Ravinder Raina, NC vice president Omar Abdullah and Congress state president G A Mir.
"The governor received a letter by fax, jointly signed by Ravinder Raina and Kavinder Gupta, state BJP president and leader of BJP Legislature Party respectively, about withdrawing BJP's support to the coalition government," a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said.
The spokesperson said Mehbooba tendered her resignation thereafter but the governor has asked her to continue in office till alternative arrangements are made.
"The governor spoke to Kavinder Gupta and Mehbooba Mufti to ascertain whether their respective parties intended to explore alternative alliances to form a government in the state and was informed in the negative by both the leaders," he said.
Vohra also spoke to Mir, who informed that his party did not have the numerical strength to form a government on its own or in alliance, the spokesperson said.
Later, the governor had a meeting with Omar, who stated that there was no alternative to governor's rule and elections.
"After concluding his consultations with all the major political parties, Governor Vohra has forwarded his report to the President for imposition of governor's rule under Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir," the spokesperson added.
In all states of India, the state government's failure results in President's rule. The process is slightly more nuanced in J&K where not the President's but Governor's rule is imposed. Under the provision of Section 92 of the J&K Constitution, Governor's rule is imposed for six months, but only after the consent of the President of India. The Constitution of India grants special status to J&K among Indian states, and it is the only state in India to have a separate Constitution and regulations specific to it.
The President's rule in other states of India is imposed under Article 356 of the Constitution of India. Under the Governor's rule, the state Assembly is either kept in suspended animation or dissolved. If it is not possible to restore the state machinery before the expiry of the six-month period, the provision is extended. Article 370 of the Constitution of India states that Parliament of India and the Union government jurisdiction extends over limited matters with respect to state of J&K and in all other matters not specifically vested in federal governments, actions have to be supported by the state legislature.

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