Bickering in J&K ruling alliance over MLC seat

NEWDELHI: A cross vote by an independent legislator during the legislative council elections in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday has driven a wedge between the ruling coalition partners, the PDP and the BJP.

The PDP was banking on the support of Zanskar legislator Syed Mohammad Baqir Rizvi for the victory of its candidate Abdul Qayoom Dar on one of the two legislative council seats for which polling was held April 17. However, Rizvi dumped the PDP at the last minute and voted for BJP’s Vikram Randhawa. His vote resulted in a tie between the PDP and the BJP, which later won the seat in a draw of lots.

In the 87-member House, the PDP has 28 legislators and the BJP 25. Both the parties also have one nominated member each with voting rights. Both Dar and Randhawa bagged 29 votes each. Besides Rizvi, the BJP candidate was also supported by two legislators of the Peoples Conference, headed by Sajjad Ghani Lone.

Upset over the development, the PDP leadership has decided to take up the issue with the BJP at the highest level. “It is very unfortunate. We have taken a serious note of it and we will take up the matter with the BJP leadership,” PDP spokesperson Mehboob Beg told HT.

At Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, CM Mehbooba Mufti expressed her annoyance over the “betrayal” by the BJP. Sources said she said the BJP did not adhere to the “coalition dharma”.

However, the BJP for its part maintained it cannot be blamed if the PDP failed to muster support from the independents.

Sources in the BJP and the PDP admit that the precarious ties are being tested once again by the ongoing turmoil in the Valley. The renewed and intensified incidents of violence have put a strain on the coalition that came to power in 2015.

The BJP wants the state government to opt for “drastic” solutions, pointing out how it has not shied away from meeting fiscal demands; but the PDP has been insinuating that statements from the BJP leadership and the army have stoked raw nerves.