SRINAGAR:  In a surprising turn of events, Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the state assembly on Wednesday evening after all anti-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) parties led by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) staked claim to form the government. The state has been under Governor's Rule since June when the BJP ended its ruling alliance with Mehbooba Mufti. 

Mufti said her Peoples' Democratic Party has the support of arch-rival Omar Abdullah's National Conference and the Congress. Shortly after this, People's Conference leader Sajad Lone, who is backed by the BJP, also staked claim to form the government. The People's Conference was founded by Sajad Lone's father Abdul Ghani Lone, who was killed by Pakistan-based terrorists in 2002.

Mufti, whose party has 29 MLAs, wrote to Governor S P Malik claiming the support of 15 MLAs of NC, 12 of Congress in the 87-member assembly. If Congress, PDP and the National Conference do manage to come together, it will be a setback for BJP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls 2019.

In her letter to the governor, shared by Mufti on Twitter, she claimed the support of 56 MLAs of the three parties put together. But, Mufti said on Twitter, she could not get through to him by either fax or telephone and that she sent the letter by mail.

“Since I am presently in Srinagar, it would not be possible for me to call on you immediately and this is to keep you informed that we would be seeking your convenience shortly to stake the claim for forming the government in the state,” she wrote in the letter.

 

The three parties are now expected to make the dissolution of the assembly a key political issue not just in the next assembly elections but also in the general elections next year.

The BJP, which was previously in alliance with PDP, shared in a series of tweets mocking at the new alliance. "The proposed alliance between the INC and the PDP broke up even before it was formed. They have taken contradictory positions on dissolution. One supports it and the other opposes it," one tweet read. "The best option in such a scenario is to go in for a fresh election at the earliest. This assembly cannot produce a stable government," it said in another tweet.