J&K house dissolved amid drama over govt formation bids

srinagar — In a dramatic development, the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly was dissolved on Wednesday night after three mainstream parties came together to stake claim to form a government that was countered by Peoples Conference leader Sajad Lone with the BJP’s backing.

Governor Satya Pal Malik made a terse announcement saying he was exercising powers conferred on him by the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution and dissolving the House which had two more years to go.

The dissolution came shortly after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the National Conference and the Congress came together and staked claim to form a government in a bid to checkmate moves by the Bharatiya Janata Party to form a government with the support of PDP rebels and Lone.

Late in the evening, former chief minister and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti wrote to the Governor saying the Congress and National Conference had decided to extend support to her party to form a government in the troubled state.

This was countered by Lone, who also wrote to the governor staking claim to form the government with BJP’s backing. He claimed the support of 18 MLAs besides the 25-strong BJP, contending that it was more than the required number for majority.

Mufti, in her letter to the governor, said that with a strength of 29 MLAs of its own, the PDP would have a collective strength of 56 MLAs including 15 of National Conference and 12 of the Congress.

Mufti said the Raj Bhavan in the winter capital Jammu strangely had not received her letter that was faxed. She said she was trying to contact the Governor over telephone.

Hectic developments marked the day with consultations between leaders of the parties in the valley after reports emerged that the BJP was trying to form a government with support of rebel MLAs from the PDP along with the backing of Lone’s party.

It can’t be a coincidence that within minutes of Mehbooba Mufti letter staking claim the order to dissolve the assembly suddenly appears. Omar Abdullah

Former J&K CM

Who would have thought that the very idea of a grand coalition would give such jitters Mehbooba Mufti

Former J&K CM

Until news of the dissolution came, former finance and education minister Altaf Bukhari was reportedly tipped to be the next Chief Minister of the PDPled collation.

In the 87-member House, the BJP has 25 MLAs, all from Jammu, and claims the support of Kashmir Valley-based Peoples Conference which has two MLAs.

The developments came five months after the BJP pulled out of the Mehbooba Mufti government leading to the fall of the PDP-BJP coalition that lasted for over two years. —