Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Jan 24: Clearing decks for formation of PDP-BJP coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP patron and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed today formally admitted that his party was holding `Track-II’ talks with the BJP, which would be followed by `structured dialogue’ but made it clear that there would be no compromise on the party’s `core issues and ideology’ while drafting the Common Minimum Programme (CMP).
Justifying the PDP-BJP combine, Mufti said the mandate was in favour of the two parties in the just held Assembly elections, which threw out hung Assembly with no party reaching even close to magic figure of 44 in the House of 87.
Addressing electoral college of the party, which re-elected Mehbooba Mufti as party president for another term of three years in the PDP office at Gandhi Nagar this morning, Mr Sayeed, however, assured the people that his party would never compromise its core ideology and issues like resumption of Indo-Pak talks, time bound withdrawal of Armed Force Special Powers Act (AFSPA), re-negotiations of water agreements signed by the National Conference and return of NHPC run power projects to the State especially Dul Hasti and Salal.
These conditions would form part of the CMP the BJP and PDP would draft before formation of the Government.
Mufti Sayeed, who is tipped to be next Chief Minister of the State, said from Bani to Akhnoor the people gave mandate in favour of the BJP while in Kashmir, the people favoured PDP and in Ladakh the vote was for Congress. The mandate for forming the Government is clearly in favour of PDP-BJP. Mehbooba Mufti described the mandate as “decisive’’ to form the Government.
While yesterday the PDP dropped indirect hint of tie-up with BJP by fielding only two candidates for four seats of Rajya Sabha leaving remaining two for the BJP, it was for the first time since election results were declared on December 23 and PDP-BJP, the two largest parties in the Assembly began informal talks for Government formation, that the PDP officially admitted that it would form Government with the BJP without compromising its ideology.
The two parties were heading towards formation of new Government after `Track-II’ talks followed by structure dialogue and drafting the CMP in which the PDP conditions would be met with.
The State is presently under Governor’s Rule since January 8 though deadline for Government formation was January 19. The Governor Rule had to be imposed earlier following resignation of caretaker Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
“If the ‘Track-II’ talks take some direction, the two parties will firm up structured dialogue followed by CMP,’’ Mufti said.
Insisting that he was not “power hungry”, the former Chief Minister said he wants to bring the State out of a “quagmire” that it is in following fractured mandate given by the electorate in the Assembly with PDP emerging single largest party with 28 seats followed closely by BJP with 25. NC took 15 and Congress 12 seats while Independents and Others took 7 seats.
“Track-II dialogue with BJP over the formation of Government in Jammu and Kashmir is in progress. Once the `Track-II’ dialogue gets some direction, a structured dialogue or the ‘Track-I’ dialogue on the formation of a CMP will be initiated,” he said. And, if everything goes well in `Track-II and Track-I dialogue’, the PDP and BJP will form next Government in the State.
“We are in track two negotiations with BJP. We may differ in our vision and priorities but an attempt is being made to find a common ground so as to evolve consensus on all issues to carry forward the peace process and political and economic agenda”, he said.
This will be for the first time in the history of Jammu and Kashmir that the BJP would share power in the State after the party became a force to reckon with in the Assembly elections getting 25 seats, all in Jammu region, which were more than double from the Congress tally of meager 12.
At the same time, Mr Sayeed listed out his conditions and demands which he wants to be taken care of by BJP in the CMP before formation of the Government.
“PDP has its conditions and there will be no sell-out on our core ideology including the time-bound revocation of AFSPA, initiation of dialogue with Pakistan, renegotiations of water agreements and return of NHPC-run power hydro-electric projects especially Dul Hasti and Salal to the State as per Rangarajan Commission recommendations,” the Mufti said. He also mentioned comprehensive rehabilitation package for flood victims, release of political prisoners and continuation of Article 370 as his other desired goals.
He charged that NC leader Omar Abdullah had entered into alliance with Congress in 2008 without formulating any programme or policy. However, he added, the PDP will have comprehensive CMP.
AFSPA is said to be one of the main obstacles in the success of the talks as BJP’s position on it is exactly opposite to that of PDP. During six years rule of Omar Abdullah, the BJP had been opposing revocation of AFSPA. The Defence Ministry and Army were also opposed to its revocation.
Referring to controversial Article 370 of the Constitution, which grants special status to the State, Mufti said: “the special status granted to the State should be maintained’’.
Sayeed, who has also served as Union Home Minister in 1989, said his party also wants a special package for the people of Jammu and Kashmir, especially the youth, who are facing problems due to unemployment.
He said the State was going through a critical phase and people need a strong and stable Government that can deliver on the promises made to them during the Assembly elections.
A similar political crisis had emerged in 2002 when the party forged alliance with the Congress to run the Government in Jammu and Kashmir, the PDP patron recalled.
Sayeed had then headed the coalition Government for three years on rotational-CM basis.
He said the then NDA Government led by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had appreciated the policies of the party and had supported them to restore normalcy in the trouble torn State.
Sayeed described the Assembly polls verdict as an opportunity for both BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to solve vexed Kashmir problem.
He said he was not interested in becoming Chief Minister of the State but wanted to clear the bad name brought by the militants to people of Kashmir. “I do not know who these militants are and from where they have come to Kashmir. Now they have taken into their grip Pakistan as well,’’ he said and added that what these militants were doing is not Islam.
Asserting that the PDP would not sell its mandate for the sake of power, the Mufti said that the interests of State and its people alone will guide the party in its bid to form a stable and representative Government in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said that decisive but fractured mandate has thrown up one of the biggest challenge for his party but “PDP will take up the challenge only if I feel that by entering into an alliance I will be in a position to connect people of all the regions and work for the welfare of entire State.
“We have the necessary material and capacity in the form of our leaders and policy makers to take up the challenge and do what people have voted us for. Our administration is best in the entire country and we are confident that we will achieve the distinction to give a stable, accountable and representative Government”.
Reiterating his stand that peace was the pre-requisite for economic viability in Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti said that Government of India will have to address Kashmir issue by holding meaningful dialogue.
“We have time and again reiterated that neighbour can’t be changed and it was the time when we must engage Pakistan in negotiations so as to ensure peace in the sub-continent. We do not want to dictate terms as it is under the ambit of Prime Minister’s power to decide on the foreign policy matters. However, it is also clear that any hostility between India and Pakistan has a direct impact on Jammu and Kashmir and its people. We want that peace should prevail on the borders and within the State. We want to bridge the gap between the two neighbouring countries for ensuring peace in the region,’’ Mr Sayeed said.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had made the right beginning by inviting Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharief for his oath ceremony but unfortunately this positive initiative was stalled soon after by calling off the talks between the Foreign Secretaries of the two countries.
Mufti said that country’s leadership has to respond and respect the faith reposed by the people of Jammu and Kashmir in democratic process. The best way to do that, he said, is to remove the impression that Jammu and Kashmir is being governed by military law. This, he said, is a source of embracement for our country even at the national level and the continuous use of special powers for security forces compromises the dignity and personal liberty of the common people who must have the same benefit and rights as enjoyed by any citizen in the country.
He said that the Kashmiri youth were facing problems in pursuing their studies outside the State. “The youth have become a particular victim of trust deficit between the State and rest of the country”, he said adding that his aim was to restore the dignity of citizens of Jammu and Kashmir whose loyalty to the country is suspected and who are required to prove their patriotism in every matter including finding a job, getting a passport or finding a residence outside the State.
“It is the blot on the fair name of our country that even after 70 years of independence Kashmiris have to prove their credentials and trust worthiness”, he said adding that PDP want to relive the people of this embarrassment.
Mufti further sought strengthening of cross-LoC trade and travel in the coming days. LoC travel was envisioned to be a facility to everyone wanting to visit each other’s country and not to remain confined to the divided families. He said that travel across the LoC after 2005 has helped in removing many misconceptions about our State, its development and the right enjoyed by the people in the State among those who come from other side of the LoC.
Jammu and Kashmir, he said, has to be developed as a showcase of the country and “we should not shy in allowing the people to come and feel the difference. Similarly, the trade that was started on Uri-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawlakote route has to grow beyond its barter character and it needs to be institutionalized by providing banking facilities so that people of all the regions of state benefit from free trade”. He said that PDP remains committed for opening of other routes as well.
The PDP patron further spoke at length about the party’s plan to put a curb on corruption and ensure transparency and accountability in the Government sector.
One of the objectives of the new Government, he said, must be to meet the growing challenge of unemployment. “We have best skilled and educated youth who are second to none. We just need to channelize their energy and capabilities for which immediate measures need to be taken”, he said.
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