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| GET READY FOR J&K LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLLY POLLS | | | R.B.SURI
The general impression
for the political future of the state of Jammu and Kashmir may be drawn from the fact that under the prevailing circumstances, within a couple of days, the Governor Satya Prakash Malik is keen to go for the dissolution of the J&K Legislative Assembly (which at present is in existence but under suspended animation since June 20 this year when the Governor Rule was imposed in the state) in accordance with the provisions of the J&K Constitution shortly. It is the demand of the day actually and the political situation demands so also. It is pertinent to mention here that Indian National Congress (INC) and National Panthers Party (NPP) and the National Conference (NC) are on record for demanding the immediate dissolution of the J&K Legislative Assembly even during the rule of the Coalition Government of PDP and BJP headed by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. The former Chief Minister of the state Omar Abdullah, many a times in the past had also demanded the dissolution of the J&K Legislative Assembly and has urged for the conducting of the election to the Legislative Assembly afresh immediately.The two major political parties - PDP and BJP are not reacting over the issue involved for the reasons best known to them only. Political circles believe that these political parties are still doing the permutations and combination to convince and satisfy the present Governor of the state Satya Parkash Malik for coming into power once again. They are on the low profile on this score now. They are not demanding the dissolution of the J&K Legislative Assembly at all as they don't want to loose the remunerations and perks being enjoyed by their respective MLAs and MLCs. At the same time, both the parties have tasted the power, they are believing in horse trading to come into power once again. But one thing is very strange that over the issue of Article 35 A and Article 370 of the Indian Constitution, all Kashmir centric leaders are one that too being supported by the Separatists, Hurriayat Amalgamation and the Militants as well.
All of them are on the same page and are determined to fight against the Government of India (GOI) to the last. Political thinkers of the country are of the opinion that both the parties NC and PDP have committed a major blunder in not participating in the recently concluded Municipal Polls in the state and left their strong base of the electorates to the mercy of INC and BJP in the valley and other parts of the state. It is worth mentioning over here that NC and PDP are part and parcel of the Indian Parliamentary Democracy. It becomes obligatory on their part to do such actions which are for the furtherance of the political governance and parliamentary democracy of the country. The Governor Satya Prakash Malik has congratulated the State Administration, Police force and the Para military forces operating in the state working day and night for the smooth conduct of the Municipal elections in the state. While briefing the media, he expressed his happiness that without harming any bird, the elections could be possible in the state peacefully. He further expressed that though the turn out of the electorates in the valley was very low but they casted their votes without any fear and according to him, Articles 35A and 370 were the non issues during the Civic Polls. According to him ,the real factor is being overlooked. There were no complaints of any malpractice or violation of model code or any interference of the government. He expressed his disappointment over the behavior of the PDP and NC in boycotting the Municipal Polls in the state. They should have participated in these elections and have allowed it rank and file and the general public to cast their votes freely without any fear.
Both of these parties have demanded that the Union Government should clear its stand over the Article 35 A of the Indian Constitution first as also the hearing in this sub-judice case be held in the Apex Court after having the elected government in the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
It is important to describe here that the Municipal elections all over the state of Jammu and Kashmir this time were the novel one because of the reason that both the main regional political parties of the state - National Conference (NC) and People's Democratic Party (PDP) who ruled this state in the past many a times, have boycotted these elections. It has been learnt from the reliable sources that the Governor Administration is already in touch with the Election Commission of India (ECI) New Delhi for conducting of the election to the J&K Legislative Assembly afresh together with the Lok Sabha Polls.
Actually, the six year term of the J&K Legislative Assembly is to expire in 2020 but its elections would be necessary in the present circumstances as the Coalition Government of PDP and BJP could not go further because BJP had withdrawn the support resulting which the Governor Rule was clamped in the state on June 20 this year when N.N. Vohra took the command and control of J&K and is still on with change of new Governor SP Malik. The political activity in NC and PDP, at the moment, is on low profile as the leadership of these political parties are making the indepth analysis of the past happenings in the state and are concentrating on devising the new strategies for dealing with the erupting situation in the state. It is quite relevant that All India General Secretary of BJP Ram Madhav remained in constant touch with the rebels of PDP in the past for forming the political government in the state once again with the support of his organization thereby making the horse trading of the MLAs but was tarpeadode by the stalwarts of the RSS. 3 to 4 times he had gone to Srinagar in the connection but all in vain. Under the prevailing political circumstances and the law and order scenario of the valley, after the dissolution of the J&K Legislative Assembly if elections are announced, these two major regional political parties of the state would have to reconsider their boycott decisions under the compulsions otherwise their very existence and identity would be at stake for all times to come. Co-relation is always there between the elections and the political parties in a parliamentary system of governance. Both of these exist simultaneously. One cant' exist without the other. Whenever there will be the elections in a democratic set up, there will be the political parties also But it is very unfortunate that in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, this time the major regional political parties, though they were there but did not participate in the Municipal Polls under the cover of defending the Articles 370 and 35 A of the Indian Constitution as the cases pertaining to these Articles are pending before the Apex Court of the country. Need of the hour is that these two main regional political parties of the state - NC and PDP should rise to the occasion well in time and should participate in the Poll process if the elections to the J&K Legislative Assembly are announced in the near future otherwise they will be the things of the past only .Therefore, in the fitness of the things that they should go on fighting with the Central Government by remaining within the ambit of the Indian Constitution. The leadership of these parties are bold and very wise enough to analyze the things in the right perspective always.
Since the Lok Sabha and the Assembly elections are at our doorsteps, therefore all the political parties which include the NC and the PDP should also gear up their rank and file and start going into the field rather electorates directly convincing them in their favour without wasting any further time on this score. I am recollecting those days of Emergency in June 1975 when the fundamental rights guaranteed to the Indian citizens under the Indian Constitution were taken away by the GOI and all the top political leaders on the Indian polity were arrested and put behind the bars. The leaders were Jaya Prakash Narayan, Mararji Desai, A.B. Vajpayee, Ch. Charan Singh, Chander Shekhar, George Fernandez, L.K. Advani etc. etc. But the people of the country gave the befitting reply to autocratic rule of Indira Gandhi and the political leaders never boycotted the elections announced by the central Government then, after lifting of the Emergency. They fought bravely and won the general elections in 1977.
In J&K the leaders of PDP and NC have made the prestige point in the cover of the defending of the Article 35A and 370. Let the high sense prevails, these leaders should reconsider their decision of Poll Boycott and get ready for the Assembly elections as there is every likelihood that these will be announced very shortly after dissolving the present J&K Legislative Assembly which is in suspended animation at the moment.
Assembly elections are at our door step very soon. Let's hope for the best. |
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