Rival claims to power rock Kashmir

ASSEMBLY DISSOLVED AFTER PDP, NC AND CONGRESS SEEK TO FORM GOVERNMENT

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

Governor Satya Pal Malek 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 head off 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.

“Since I’m presently in Srinagar, it would not be possible to call on you immediately and this is to keep you informed that we would be seeking your convenience shortly to stake the claim for forming the government in the state,” Mehbooba wrote to the governor who was said to be away in Chandigarh for a wedding.

Fall of coalition

Until news of the dissolution came, former Finance and Education Minister Altaf Bukhari was reportedly tipped to be the next chief minister of the PDP-led 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 come five months after the BJP pulled out of the Mehbooba Mufti government leading to the fall of the PDPBJP collation that lasted for over two years.