BJP-PDP alliance ends in Jammu and Kashmir updates: Rahul Gandhi says opportunistic tie-up set fire to Valley

Coming together of BJP, PDP just to grab power was opportunistic: Left

Coming together of the BJP and the PDP after the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls in 2014 to form government was an “opportunistic” move, the Left parties said.

Soon after the BJP decided to pull out of the ruling alliance with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir, the Left parties voiced their concern over the political and law-and-order situation in the state, and said the Centre should share its assessment of the present situation with all political parties. – PTI

BJP and PDP devasted state govt: Ghulam Nabi Azad

“The BJP and PDP have devastated the state government. They have had the maximum number of ceasefire violations in this period," said Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Rahul Gandhi reacts to BJP pulling out of alliance with PDP

The opportunistic BJP-PDP alliance set fire to J&K, killing many innocent people including our brave soldiers. It cost India strategically & destroyed years of UPA’s hard work. The damage will continue under President’s rule. Incompetence, arrogance & hatred always fails.

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 19, 2018

BJP’s move a bid to save itself from governance failure: NCP

On a day the BJP pulled out of the Mehbooba Mufti government in Jammu and Kashmir, the NCP said the saffron party took the decision in a bid to “save” itself from the “governance failures” of the last three years.

“The four-year-old BJP rule at the Centre and the three-year-old coalition of the BJP and PDP in Jammu and Kashmir has been an utter failure. The BJP’s decision to pull out (of the coalition government in the state) is a bid to save itself from the governance failures of the last three years,” alleged NCP national spokesman Nawab Malik.

Yogi Adityanath reacts to the fall of Jammu and Kashmir government

Local leadership, Deputy CM (of J&K) & state ministers were taken into confidence, in the interest of the country & J&K BJP took this step & BJP will continue to do whatever is necessary for benefit of the state: UP CM Yogi Adityanath on BJP withdrawing from alliance with PDP pic.twitter.com/vqqJNcVUNc

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) June 19, 2018

It took you sacrifice of around 600 soldiers to realise you should take back your support: Uddhav Thackeray to BJP

It took you 3.5 years & sacrifice of around 600 soldiers to realise that you should take back your support in #JammuAndKashmir. When you know how that govt functions, how could you even support them for so long: Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena on BJP calling off alliance with PDP pic.twitter.com/V7XxjuT6oB

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2018

Things are going out of control in J&K: Chetan Bhagat

Glad #BJPPDP alliance ended. No way to run a state. Things are going out of control there and we haven't been able to do anything about it. Time for total rethink on Kashmir and doing what it takes to fix the problem.

— Chetan Bhagat (@chetan_bhagat) June 19, 2018

BJP has always maintained the policy of ’nation first’: J&K BJP chief spokesperson

Chief spokesperson of J&K BJP Sunil Sethi said the insistence of the PDP for extension of the period of suspension of operations and soft approach towards militants, Pakistan and separatists were hurting the nationalistic sentiments not only in Jammu and Kashmir but across the country.

“It is well thought decision in the given circumstances as continuation of the alliance would have been against national interest,” he told reporters in Srinagar.

Sethi said that the BJP has proved to one and all that for it staying in power is not significant when it comes to national interest.

The party has always maintained the policy of ’nation first’, he added. — PTI

Unless Centre delinks governance with larger political issue, all measures will fail: Engineer Rashid

Claiming that the end of PDP-BJP alliance has exposed New Delhi’s failures and its flawed policies, independent lawmaker Engineer Rashid has said that unless New Delhi doesn’t delink governance with the larger political issue, all measures are going to fail.

Rashid said, “BJP has made PDP a scapegoat for more than one reason, and while on one hand, the party proposes to gain sympathies in the rest of India by claiming to have preferred so-called national interest over party interest, on the other hand, New Delhi has been facing huge embarrassments at national and international levels for its failures in Jammu and Kashmir.”

“Whosoever rules Jammu and Kashmir, it makes very little difference unless New Delhi doesn’t stop seeing Kashmir from the law and order perspective. Time has proved that from ceasefire to talk offer, everything has failed,” Rashid said.

How I wish Mehbooba Mufti had left with her head held high: Omar Abdullah

She was cutting ribbons while the BJP was cutting her legs out from under her. How I wish she had left with her head held high & her dignity intact! She was J&K’s CM, not of the BJPDP. https://t.co/I8NA5lN8pl

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 19, 2018

Political leaders react to the end of BJP-PDP alliance

Reactions from politicians and other stakeholders started pouring in even before Madhav ended the press conference. Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah was one of the first to react to the news of the split.

This is what happens when you put politics over people: Arvind Kejriwal

3 years lost in the valley,

3 years that saw huge civilian & army casualties,

3 years later the valley is worse-off from where it stood then.

This is what happens when you put politics over people.

I will not allow Delhi to suffer because of dirty politics of Modi Govt

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 19, 2018

We should’ve had a Hindu chief minister: Subramanian Swamy

“Mehbooba Mufti should not have been chief minister. We should have had a Hindu chief minister,” BJP leader Subramanian Swamy told CNN-News18. “No Hindu would have been terrorist-compliant like Mehbooba was.”

BJP’s withdrawal from J&K government will create greater political instability: CPM

This alliance should never have been formed: Subramanian Swamy

“This should have happened a long time. This alliance should never have been formed. It was something which could never possibly work,” BJP leader Subramanian Swamy told CNN-News18. “Mehbooba has never been straight. She has deep sympathy for terrorists,” he said.

The alliance had a bigger motive — unilateral ceasefire: Mehbooba Mufti

I am not shocked. We didn't do this alliance for power. This alliance had a bigger motive- unilateral ceasefire, PM's visit to Pakistan, withdrawal of cases against 11,000 youth: Mehbooba Mufti #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/cp8RGqdOfF

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2018

We did not enter into this alliance for power: Mehbooba Mufti

“The healing touch policy of PDP is the only policy which will work in Jammu and Kashmir. Muscular policy won’t work in Jammu and Kashmir,” Mufti said.

“We had not entered into this alliance for power. The bigger objective for this alliance was unilateral ceasefire, peace in the Valley, talks with Pakistan. We did not do this for power,” said the outgoing chief minister.

Reconciliation and dialogue was the main objective of our govt: Mehbooba Mufti

“I have submitted my resignation to the Governor. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had entered into this alliance, thinking that BJP is a big party which had got a big mandate,” Mehbooba Mufti said.

“It took a lot of months to come to an agenda, whose main objective was reconciliation and dialogue in Jammu and Kashmir. We wanted confidence-building measures in Kashmir,” she said.

“The biggest apprehension was Article 370, about our special status. In the last three years, we defended Article 370 in courts. We also withdrew cases against over 11,000 youths,” she added.

“We have always believed that muscular policies won’t work in Jammu and Kashmir. This is not enemy territory. This is the reason for the unilateral ceasefire,” she also said.

Mehbooba Mufti to brief media about the end of BJP-PDP alliance

BJP slams its own coalition govt: Prashant Bhushan

After destroying Kashmir & having brought it to the point of no return, BJP slams it's own coalition govt, walks out & asks for governor's rule! pic.twitter.com/t1NZBb0XdR

— Prashant Bhushan (@pbhushan1) June 19, 2018

Trust wisdom of Governor NN Vohra to take right call for state: Omar Abdullah 

“We requested the governor that Governor’s rule should not remain imposed for a long time period. After all, people have the right to choose their government. Fresh elections should take place & we will accept the mandate of the people,” Omar Abdullah said. 

“I think we should trust the wisdom of Governor NN Vohra to take decisions in favour of the state. We have to understand that he is a very senior man and has completed 10 years in the state. He knows how to rule the state,” Omar added.

Rajnath Singh chairs high-level meet on Kashmir security situation 

Union home minister Rajnath Singh is reportedly heading a high-level security meet on the security situation in Jammu and Kashmir. NSA Ajit Doval and Intelligence Bureau chief Rajiv Jain are reportedly at the home minister’s residence, breifing him on the security situation in the Valley.

Mehbooba should have gone out with some dignity, says Omar Abdullah 

“I as a former chief minister wish Mehbooba Mufti would have gone out with her dignity intact. She chose to be dismissed not to leave with dignity,” Omar said. 

He said that he had suggested many times that Mehbooba should leave the alliance but she did not do it because she wished to remain in power. He also said that the BJP not informing its coalition partner of its decision was unfortunate.

Not celebrating this break up, NC mourning death of democracy, says Omar Abdullah 

Omar Abdullah said, “We are not at all celebrating this break up. No responsible political party could be happy with the governor’s rule. We are mourning the demise of democracy.”

Won’t stake claim to form govt, says Omar Abdullah 

After meeting the governor of Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said that he has told the governor that his party does not have the mandate to form a government in the state. “We have not approached any party for support, and nobody has approached us either. We won’t stake claim to form government by any other means,” Omar said.

Omar Abdullah addresses press conference after meeting governor

BJP looks at consilidating base in Jammu, Leh by ending alliance

Breaking of the alliance was the only legitimate move in a toxic climate where radicalism is riding pillion on separatism in the Valley. The BJP could sense that the only way for Valley-based parties like PDP — which unlike the saffron unit has no national base — to survive is by adopting a shade of separatism that is just a bit softer than the secessionist narrative in the troubled state. BJP’s move can therefore be termed as an attempt to cut its losses and consolidate its power in the Hindu-dominated Jammu region

Mehbooba chairs emergency meet of PDP MLAs

Outgoing Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti is currently chairing a emergency meet with her party’s legislators. The meeting was hurriedly called up after the BJP publically announced it was puling the plug on the state government, pushing Mehbooba-led government in minority. She is expected to speak to the press at around 5 pm.

Didn’t BJP say demonetisation had broken the back of terrorism, says Arvind Kejriwal

Didn’t BJP tell us that demonetisation had broken the back of terrorism in Kashmir? Then what happened? https://t.co/S9nyOMocKl

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 19, 2018

PDP ministers left for Mehbooba Mufti’s office after news of pullout broke

Meanwhile, PDP ministers were sitting in their offices when the news of BJP pulling out of the coalition reached civil secretariat in Srinagar.

According to eyewitnesses, PDP ministers soon began to leave towards Mehbooba Mufti’s official residence at Gupkar, where she will head an emergency meeting at 4 pm.

Omar Abdullah meets Jammu and Kashmir governor: Reports

Will PDP and NC come together?

This will be difficult for Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah but given the fact that SP-BSP came together in UP, Congress-JDS in Karnataka, RJD-JD(U) in Bihar, this is a possibility that the leaders of the two parties in Kashmir can explore.

Governor’s rule means proxy rule by the Centre and Assembly is likely to be kept in suspended animation till possibility of alternate government is explored. Governor’s rule also means that security agencies would act tough in days and weeks to come.

Governor calls National Conference chief Omar Abdullah for a meeting: CNN-News18

Ajit Doval driving to Amit Shah’s residence wasn’t unusual

NSA Ajit Doval driving to BJP chief Amit Shah residence in the morning was not an unusual affair. Most mistook it with Amarnath Yatra preparedness. But now it’s clear that before coming to conclusions, Shah wanted to have first-hand knowledge of the situation in the state.

Arvind Kejriwal lashes out at BJP

After ruining it, BJP pulls out of Kashmir

— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) June 19, 2018

Jammu and Kashmir governor’s term to be extended by three months: CNN-News18

The news channel reported that the governor’s term was going to be extended till the Amarnath Yatra ended.

Imposition of governor’s rule is the right step: Former Director General of Police K Rajendra Kumar

“Imposition of governor’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir is a right step towards the restoration of public order and peace, especially in the context of rising terrorist incidents and radicalisation. (This is a ) relief for the peace-loving people of the state,” Rajendra Kumar said.

Immediate fallout of split will be on Valley’s security situation

The immediate fallout of the breaking of ruling coalition will be on the security situation in the Valley. Despite all the rifts and disagreements, alliance compulsions had restricted the Centre from going all out against the separatist elements.

With these ideological and operational differences now gone, it is conceivable that security forces will now be given a free hand under Governor’s rule. In fact, while announcing the split on Tuesday, BJP senior leader Ram Madhav said: “In order to bring control over the situation prevailing in the state, we have decided that the reign of power in the state be handed over to the governor.”

The operative words here are “brining control”. It is likely that security forces will now launch renewed search and cordon operations without being subjected to the ambiguities of political will. Governor’s rule may also serve to extend the state’s writ over people which is now spread dangerously thin.

Mehbooba Mufti to address press conference at 5 pm

Whatever has happened is good: Ghulam Nabi Azad

Whatever has happened is good. People of J&K will get some relief. They (BJP) ruined Kashmir & have now pulled out, maximum number of civilian & army men died during these 3 years. That question does not arise (on forming alliance with PDP): GN Azad, Congress pic.twitter.com/rcfVelHdnT

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2018

Cracks in the PDP-BJP alliance had emerged since Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death

“The top figures in the coalition have been uneasy with each other ever since the three month period after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s death, during which Mehbooba had sought concrete confidence building measures from the Centre before she took office. The unease lay dormant over the subsequent year, but the Centre’s unease increased manifold after there was intense violence during the bye-election for the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat in April this year,” David Devadas had written in August 2017.

People in Srinagar expected this development

The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister had cancelled all meetings since morning, after getting a hint about the BJP’s decision.

On the streets of Srinagar, people are saying it was long awaited and hope it benefits them. “It is good that this government ended. They were both brutal. PDP came to power on the promise it would not allow BJP to form the government but ended up making an alliance with the same party.” Shuja Ahmad Sheikh, a resident of Srinagar told Firstpost on the Residency Road after the decisions taken by BJP.

Many BJP leaders were “relieved” about alliance ending

Sources within the BJP said several party leaders were “relieved” that the alliance had been called off.

A principal reason, according to a person familiar with the BJP’s decision-making mechanism, was the safety of pilgrims during the upcoming Amarnath Yatra; it was felt that with violence in the Valley continuing unabated during cessation of security operations, the likelihood of yatris being attacked was high, and this did not sit well with BJP leaders.

BJP pulled out of alliance because it knew it was losing ground: Asaduddin Owaisi

“I feel sorry for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. This was an alliance between north pole and south pole. The people of the nation want to know what happened to the north pole-south pole alliance. BJP cannot run away from failing to stop attacks in Jammu and Kashmir. BJP is equally responsible,” AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi said.

“BJP pulled out of alliance because it knew it was losing ground,” he said.

Jammu and Kashmir was destroyed socially and politically: Congress’ Ghulam Nabi Azad

“Who will create an alternate government in such a situation? They have made a khandar of a situation here,” Congress’ Azad said. “They ruined the balance of the society in Jammu and Kashmir. There was a lot of tension between the regions of Jammu and Kashmir. Socially, politically, Jammu and Kashmir was destroyed,” he also said.

Split has come not a day too soon

With BJP’s pulling out of the ruling coalition, the BJP-PDP government will fall. In 2014 Assembly elections, PDP emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats while BJP secured 25.

The fractured nature of the mandate, which saw PDP’s gains restricted to Kashmir and BJP’s wins concentrated in Jammu, made transfer of writ difficult across the state. In the intervening three years, the positions have hardened to the extent that the alliance has served only to feed extreme elements in both sides.

While the BJP feared a loss of its influence and vote bank among the Hindu majority in Jammu, the situation was trickier for Mufti who needed to compete not only with National Conference for popular support and political influence but more importantly with secessionist elements and violent operatives.

For Mufti to carry on, a soft separatist narrative was inevitable that placed her in direct policy confrontation with BJP’s nationalist policies. That this untenable alliance was kept alive for so long is a testament to BJP and PDP’s compulsions for power and the state’s lack of political alternatives. The split has come not a day too soon.

Mehbooba Mufti resigns as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister

PDP-BJP alliance was anti-national and unnatural: Shiv Sena’s Sanjay Raut

This alliance was anti-national & unnatural. Our party chief had said, this alliance won't work out. Had they continued with it they would have had to answer in 2019 Lok Sabha election: Sanjay Raut, Shiv Sena on BJP calling off their alliance with PDP in #JammuAndKashmir pic.twitter.com/s2JVACZqxz

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2018

Glad that BJP accepted its mistake: Congress

“We are glad that BJP has accepted its mistake,” said Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. “When Congress had formed a government in Jammu and Kashmir, we had reduced terrorism. But right from the moment BJP had come to power in Jammu and Kashmir, we had said that the state was on the path of destruction,” he added.

“During the rule of this government, the most number of ceasefire violations took place along the border,” Azad said.

“Today, after destroying the state, BJP cannot just run away from its responsibilities by pulling out of the alliance with PDP,” he also said.

Not the first time PDP-BJP ties were strained

This is not the first time that differences have cropped up between the alliance partners. Earlier, the PDP reportedly threatened to pull out of the coalition over the issue of two BJP ministers rallying behind the Hindu Ekta Manch, which was demanding a CBI inquiry into the rape and murder of an eight-year-old girl in Kathua district. The BJP had asked both the ministers to resign from cabinet.

We had alliance with PDP just for the people’s mandate: BJP

We had to respect the mandate of the people. If we would not have formed govt at that time, Governor's rule or Presidential rule would have been imposed in the Valley. We had an alliance with them just for the mandate that was given by people: Ram Madhav, BJP pic.twitter.com/NRYIp6V0iW

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2018

Here is a breakdown of the numbers in Jammu and Kashmir state Assembly:

Present scenario (in J&K) cannot be handled by the present government (in the state): Ram Madhav

“We had to respect the people’s mandate then (at the time of the last Jammu and Kashmir elections,” Madhav said.

“Jammu and Kashmir has faced ups and downs many times. There was a rise in violence and terrorism in the past also. All I’m saying is that we came to the conclusion that the present scenario cannot be handled by the present government at this juncture. And we our presence in this government totally untenable,” he added.

PDP calls emergency meet at 4 pm: Times Now

Former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah reacts to the BJP-PDP fallout

And so it has come to pass........

— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) June 19, 2018

We had implemented the Ramzan ceasefire from a position of strength: Ram Madhav

“We are not concerned about losing ground,” Ram Madhav further said in the press conference.

“We had implemented the Ramzan ceasefire from a position of strength. But they were not ready to accept this,” he further said. “Law and order is managed by the state. In the state, action against terrorists had been taken by the state and the Centre, which has produced results,” he added.

BJP’s decision not to extend ceasefire might have been the final trigger

The BJP-PDP alliance had become untenable almost since its birth. In 2016, this writer had commented on how a toxic alliance is pushing Kashmir to brink of permanent instability.

However, it is pretty clear that the decision not to extend the ceasefire after Ramzan provided the final blow to an ailing partnership. PDP leader and Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti’s political survival depended on the extension of the ceasefire. There was a possibility that the Centre may have still gone ahead with it despite taking a hundred cuts but the killing of Rising Kashmir editor Sujaat Bukhari provided the final straw.

Terrorism, violence on the rise in the Valley: Ram Madhav

Terrorism, violence and radicalisation have risen and fundamental rights of the citizens are under danger in the Valley. #ShujaatBukhari's killing is an example: Ram Madhav, BJP pic.twitter.com/0T0HLurWVu

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2018

Reins of power in the state should be handed over to the Governor: Ram Madhav

“Keeping in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India, we have decided that it is time the reins of power in the state be handed over to the Governor,” Ram Madhav.

“We had suspended operations in the Valley because of the importance of Ramzan for the people in Jammu and Kashmir. We had expected a good response from the Hurriyat. This was a goodwill gesture. But during this one month, there was no appropriate response from the terrorists and other people,” he said.

People of Jammu and Ladakh were feeling discriminated: Ram Madhav

“Central government was doing all it could for the development of Jammu and Kashmir,” Ram Madhav said.

“The home minister used to visit the Valley from time to time. You know that an interlocutor was also appointed for addressing grievances of the people in Jammu and Kashmir,” Madhav said, as he stressed on how the central government had strived for the development of the region.

“It pains me to say that those who are more in control of the government could not achieve these objectives,” he added. “Because the whole government does not belong to the BJP, there was a sort of discrimination which the people of Jammu and Ladakh were experiencing,” he said.

You saw how Shujaat Bukhari was murdered: Ram Madhav

“In the last three years, restoring peace in Kashmir — especially in Kashmir Valley — and ensuring fast development in the three regions of Kashmir were the main objectives,” Madhav said.

“Today, terrorism and violence has increased in Kashmir. Radicalisation is growing fast. Fundamental rights of citizens are now in danger,” he also said.

“You saw how Shujaat Bukhari was murdered in Jammu and Kashmir,” Madhav said.

It has become untenable for BJP to continue in alliance in J&K: Ram Madhav

“In the last fours, we discussed how many of the objectives which we had planned earlier were achieved,” BJP national general secretary Ram Madhav said in the press conference.

“After a lot of discussions, the prime minister and Amit Shah and other BJP leaders decided that it has become untenable for the BJP to continue in the alliance in Jammu and Kashmir,” Madhav said.

BJP presser begins, Ram Madhav addresses media

BJP pulls out of alliance with PDP in Jammu and Kashmir: Reports

Big announcement expected at BJP press conference