The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday ended its alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party in Jammu and Kashmir headed by Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti.
“It has become untenable for [the] BJP to continue with the alliance in Jammu and Kashmir,” said the party’s National General Secretary Ram Madhav at a press conference in Delhi. “We formed the government three years ago... it was a fractured mandate in 2014.” He added that the BJP won majority in Jammu, and the PDP in Kashmir. “We then formed Agenda of Alliance with the PDP.”
Mufti resigned as chief minister soon after the announcement. Her party has 28 seats in the 87-member Assembly, while the BJP has 25.
Governor NN Vohra has forwarded his report to President Ram Nath Kovind for imposition of governor’s rule under Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, ANI reported.
Ram Madhav said it was time to hand over the reins to the governor “keeping in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, in order to bring control over situation prevailing in state”. Madhav also said that the party was “not concerned about losing ground”.
Deputy Chief Minister M Kavinder Gupta of the BJP said he has submitted his resignation to Governor NN Vohra and to the chief minister. The Peoples Democratic Party is expected to convene a meeting at 4 pm on Tuesday, reported News18.
There had been speculation about a rift in the alliance for months, especially after the murder and alleged rape of an eight-year-old Muslim Bakarwal girl in Kathua district in January. The BJP had faced flak when two of its ministers had attended a rally in support of the men, all Hindus, arrested in connection with the crime.
Madhav said terrorism, violence and radicalisation are on the rise and the fundamental rights of citizens are in danger in the Valley. “We even appointed an interlocutor for the state to talk with all the stakeholders,” he said. “The central government has done whatever the state government sought.”
“Despite the ceasefire during the month of Ramzan, there has been no reciprocation from the terrorists or separatists,” Madhav said, adding that the ceasefire order was given “from a position of strength but that was not appreciated”.
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