Congress and NC have still time to come with a Common Minimum Programme to leave less space for confrontation and move towards reconciliation
Shuja’at Bukhari
After upsetting the apple cart of one party rule in India, the coalition politics had heralded a new hope of change and empowerment vis-à-vis regional and smaller parties. This was not only seen as a mechanism of check and balance over the monotonous structure of politics, the Independent India had inherited, but also an instrument to counter the much powered federal make up in the country.
With many positive effects, however, the coalition politics has proved to be anti-people in many ways as the parties stick to their own agendas and take the other partners for ride. Recent example of Trinamool Congress leader and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee making the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) to withdraw the proposal of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail marketing in India and many such issues in the past few years by communists are some glaring examples of this “blackmail” politics.
In this backdrop, the Jammu and Kashmir has also been severely hit by this politics. In 1986-87, the state had briefly tasted the coalition government after Rajiv Gandhi and Farooq Abdullah entered into an accord but in 2002, such a set up was introduced with a full bloom, where even a single MLA of a party would start dictating terms to the biggest partner in the coalition. The situation turned murkier as in the much sought after “bander bant” of a berth in the council of ministers, then Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had to take 40 people as ministers. The practice continued but thanks to his successor Ghulam Nabi Azad, who brought two important legislations in the assembly—one restricting the number of ministers to 25 in the 87 member house and other the stringent anti-defection law.
However, the seeds of “black mail” politics had been sown by then and in 2008 also the fractured verdict again threw up the “same mess”. Notwithstanding the ritual statements highlighting coalition bonhomie, the current National Conference-Congress government has been through some worst cases of discord. This situation has made a huge dent to the credibility of the government and some vital policy issues of public interest have been put to halt. Recent example of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah taking a stand vis-à-vis the senior Congress Minister Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, amply brought out the fact that how the compulsion of coalition have given way to legitimise the corrupt practices in the state. As Congress took a different stand, the chief minister had to eat a humble pie by only divesting him of education portfolio. Similarly, the Congress Party’s outright rejection of accepting Saghir Commission report has also put the main ally National Conference in the dock. Since greater autonomy is the political doctrine of the party on which it harps to address the political dimension of the problem. Ironically, the Saghir Commission was set up under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Working Group in 2006. Pushing the NC to the wall on a politically vital issue clearly is to “blackmail” it for power sharing.
Earlier the Congress put its foot down when the assembly passed three bills for setting up three private Universities in the state. They managed to defeat them in the Legislative Council putting a question mark on how the coalition government was functioning. Similarly the bill aimed at property tax was passed by the state assembly but put on hold in the Council with the intervention of Congress. No doubt the Congress has emerged powerful in the coalition government during past over three years but “owning” the corrupt lot of ministers has made a severe dent to its image in the state. The Congress ministers have surely got their own people adjusted against plum posts but it they have hardly contributed to the overall welfare of the people. Even as the NC has been playing second fiddle in the coalition, it did not agree to import 73rd amendment of Constitution to bring Panchayats at par with rest of India. It has also been dithering to head for a reshuffle in the council of ministers much against the wishes of Congress. However, the way both parties are heading to cut out a separate role for each other, the real issues concerning the people are ignored.
But the difference with which this coalition is running as compared to previous one is that there are no walkouts from the cabinet meetings. During Mufti Sayeed’s rule, Mangat Ram Sharma had almost made it a routine to stage a walkout to show that he would not compromise on any issue and directly land in Delhi to lodge a complaint with Sonia Gandhi. Over Amarnath issue, two young ministers had direct confrontation with Mufti. And the course continued when Azad was the chief minister. His bickering with Mufti family had then Finance Minister Tariq Hamid Qarra as the face. The widening gulf between Muftis and Azad finally cost him his job when there was no point of return left. From the first day when Azad took over the office, the differences were visible. And on June 28, 2008, the PDP President Mehbooba Mufti did not think twice and withdrew her support to Azad government. That was culmination of the differences within the coalition.
Now, that half of the term has been completed by Omar Abdullah, a section in Congress have failed to convince the party leadership that he should be replaced. But there seems to be more danger to Omar than straightway asking him to step down. Going by the conduct of Congress, they are making every effort to undermine his authority. Sonia Gandhi is learnt to have told her close confidants that she was committed to undo all past “mistakes” made by Nehru-Gandhi family in Kashmir. But the way those mistakes continue to hit the political stability in Jammu and Kashmir, it seems that her plans are under threat. Jammu and Kashmir at this stage needs a strong government which could take it to an era of development and peace but that cannot happen without the political resolution of the problem. For that space for a political discourse is must and that cannot be vetoed by one party or an individual. Both Congress and NC have still time to come with a Common Minimum Programme to leave less space for confrontation to move towards reconciliation. This will help state to come out of politics of blackmail.
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