#dnaEdit: Mantle of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed seems rather heavy for Mehbooba

The alliance of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Jammu and Kashmir was one of incompatible partners. But the post-assembly election scenario in 2015 was such that Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the PDP patriarch, took the difficult decision of allying with the BJP to form the government. There was the simple divide of political geography. The PDP won almost all of its seats in the Kashmir Valley and the BJP in Jammu. The only credible government was that of a PDP-BJP coalition. 

There were other calculations that shaped the coalition. The BJP had reckoned that it was an opportunity, hitherto the best ever, of finding a toe-hold in the government of the sensitive and contentious border state. The late Mufti must have recognised the usefulness of the alliance in the fact that there was a BJP-led NDA government at the Centre. It was a delicate balance of forces and political motives, and the least stress could break it. Mufti Senior was a tall leader who could manage the contradictions inherent in the alliance. It is natural that the daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, finds it daunting, and well nigh impossible to handle it. But there are no alternatives as things stand.

The PDP has been walking on the thin edge of the opposition politics in the Valley, and for a good reason. The National Conference (NC) does not enjoy the confidence of the militants, the separatists and the undecided sections of the Valley. The PDP has been a reassuring force for these elements. The PDP had rationalised its stance as one of embracing and containing the dissidents within the existing constitutional and political framework. Some of the BJP negotiators who forged the alliance in 2015 seemed to have understood the PDP position.

The snapping, biting and bickering between the two allies on the ground was natural. The BJP leaders in Jammu were harping on the old BJP theme of removing the special status and the symbols that denoted that special status of the state. For example, the objection to the flying of the state flag is one such issue. Again, the BJP’s Hindutva theme of banning beef is meant to keep its own flock in Jammu intact while throwing down the gauntlet at the Muslim majority in the Valley. The PDP’s plea for dealing leniently with the militants and separatists, and its insistence on the symbols of special status are meant to inspire confidence in its own flock. While the contentions of the local units were legitimate keeping their respective narrow agendas in mind, it would require leaders from both sides to maintain the harmony among the followers. There is evidence that the BJP leaders have not shown the necessary tact to keep the alliance a smooth affair. With the death of the Mufti, the PDP feels vulnerable and hence the shrillness in its demands.

The argument put forward by many of J&K political watchers that the PDP has alienated and antagonised its followers because of the unpopular alliance with the BJP, and that Mehbooba is only trying to save the political base of the party by taking a tough stance, sounds pretty specious. The reality staring the two parties in the face is that J&K is a composite state and they represent the different parts, and the political imperative is for the two to work together. The BJP in the state should not unnecessarily needle the PDP and raise tempers in the Valley. The PDP should not be making unreasonable demands on the BJP. The survival of the coalition is necessary for the political and economic well-being of the state.