Rameez Makhdoomi /Malik Sajid
Peoples Democratic Party and National Conference two bitter archrivals in the electoral politics of Jammu & Kashmir failed to get exact numbers to form a government on their own . With Congress not also having much strength the two parties are now expected to go to Bhartiya Janta Party ( BJP) Rightwing Hindu party leading the central government of India.
PDP having more number of seats as compared to National Conference would be on tenterhooks to form new government.
But the marriage with BJP does not look an easy road for any of the Kashmir based parties especially considering the recent and ongoing developments in mind. Even as ‘Ghar Wapsi’, the Hindu right’s agenda especially the RSS which is the ideological brain of BJP to get back Christians and Muslims into the fold of their so called ‘original religion, gains momentum, a prominent Islamic scholar Sheeba Aslam Fehmi lashed out at the conversion programme of hindutva forces , asking, “Why is that Hindutva forces become active when they have a comfortable majority in Parliament? In Modi’s regime, it has suddenly dawned upon them that Bohras were Brahmins . Other controversial communal steps taken in the past nearly 8 month old BJP Government and all these veracities will give PDP and NC sleepless nights before they could even think of having an alliance with the BJP.
The mood considering the ground is such that alliance with BJP could prove a political suicide for both NC and PDP. Many are of view that present BJP has more rigid programme when compared to BJP of Vajpyee time.
It seems that voices of disunion among PDP are already making some senior leaders worried for any potential alliance with BJP as it could be a very tough decision to communicate to people of Kashmir by their respective MLA’s.
“It will be easier to come together with Congress than BJP to form government in Jammu & Kashmir” senior PDP leader and MP Muzaffar Hussain Baig said .
On the otherside , there are many voices on ground that are advocating that to rewrite new positive annals the PDP and NC should have an alliance so as to preserve interests of Kashmir.
Undoubtedly, PDP or NC trying to have an alliance with BJP could be a political suicide for both parties and more so could dent the votebank of that party in future elections in Kashmir which goes for alliance with BJP .