‘Didn’t let unholy tie-up come to power in J&K’

JAMMU/SRINAGAR/NEWDELHI: Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik on Thursday defended the dissolution of the state assembly on grounds that he didn’t want an “unholy alliance” of opposing political ideologies to assume power by inducing defections, as a bitter war of words raged on between opponents and supporters of his contentious action the night before.

Meanwhile, both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the National Conference (NC) veered around to the view that fresh and early assembly elections are the only way out of the political vacuum in the sensitive state, which has been under direct federal rule since June 20. Malik, who was named J&K governor in August, explained the rationale behind his decision on Wednesday night in greater detail at a press conference and in media interviews .

“I have been saying it since day one of my appointment as governor that I’m not in favour of any government formed in the state with underhand defections and horse trading. I would instead want that elections are held and a selected government rules.”

He dissolved the state assembly after Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti staked her claim for forming a new government with the support of arch rival NC and the Congress, five months after the collapse of PDP’s coalition government with the BJP. She claimed the PDP had the support of 56 MLAs, including its own 28 legislators. Malik also had to contend with a rival claim by People’s Conference chief Sajjad Lone, who said he had the support of the BJP’s 25 legislators and “more than 18” other members of the 87-member assembly. His party had been counting on the support of PDP dissidents.

“For the past 15 to 20 days, I have been getting reports of large-scale horse trading. MLAs are being threatened and several types of underhanded dealings are going on,” Malik told reporters at Raj Bhawan.

“Had I given any side an opportunity (for government formation), it would have created more mess.

The value system of politics would have been destroyed as has been happening in the rest of the states. I could not afford that.”