Why it's important to hold elections in J&K at the earliest
After over three years of squabbling, the alliance of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and People's Democratic Party (PDP), the two ideologically antithetical parties that formed the government in Jammu and Kashmir finally broke apart.
Immediately after the BJP pulled out of the government, PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti resigned as chief minister. Governor's Rule has been imposed in the state following the break-up.
In 2014, elections were held on 87 Assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir, PDP emerged as the largest party winning 28 seats, BJP came second winning 25 seats, National Conference won 15 seats, Congress secured 12, while others got seven seats.
The PDP and the BJP, which entered into a coalition to form the government in 2015, have had a stormy relationship since the beginning given the ideological and political chasm between the PDP, a Valley-based party, and the saffron party, which calls itself a champion of Hindu nationalism.
The rift showed from time to time over PDP's promises of talks with separatists, the proposal to scrap AFSPA, handling the recent Kathua rape case, Army firing in Shopian and even the rollout of the government's flagship Goods and Services Tax (GST).
The BJP's decision to come on board with PDP was well reasoned, as it seemed appropriate and far-sighted. For the BJP, it was an opportunity to bridge the trust deficit and bring the Valley into national mainstream, but it could not take any tangible step in this direction.
If the central government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi had adopted the 'Kashmir Policy' enunciated by the Atal Bihar Vajpayee government then in all likelihood peace would have prevailed in Kashmir.
But in the three and half years of the rule, there has been perpetual sparring between PDP and BJP over several issues. The governance was bound to fail as a result.
The terrorists and the separatists increasingly got emboldened and violence escalated.
Though the BJP took the first step of breaking away from the alliance, it may have ill-conceived that this unilateral step will prove beneficial to them. It might benefit the PDP politically though.
The party will not leave any stones unturned in sending out a message that the BJP took the people of the state for granted and that it failed to observe 'coalition dharma'.
In the coming days, though the state will be ruled by the governor and peace restored, it will create a political vacuum and democracy will take a beating.
It is therefore imperative to hold elections in the state.