Jammu and Kashmir:
Coalition government in state has reduced to merely a compulsion of power lust
by its divergent ideologies and policies. Whatever, Congress leadership of
state proposes is being out rightly rejected by National Conference leadership
and vice-versa. The simple reason is that decisions for Congress are taken in Delhi and imposed in Jammu and Kashmir, which is not new thing
for either partners of coalition. But what makes mockery of coalition is public
spat and mud slugging between the partners in a sophisticated manner for each
and every issue, day in and day out.
Looking at recent developments, Senior Vice President of
Congress, Mr Dharam Pal Sharma without hinting or hitting over chief minister
Mr Omar Abdullah contradicted his observations by claming that his party
Congress is No 1 in Jammu and No 2 in Kashmir on the score board based on the observation of
political observers of high standing. A day earlier, chief minister, Mr Omar
Abdullah claimed that his party National Conference stood at No 1 while winning
maximum number of seats in just concluded Panchayat elections in Jammu and
Kashmir whereas, PDP, emerged as first runner-up and Congress had to be content
with third position. Mr Omar substantiated his findings with home work done by
Rural Development Department.
On May 21, when elections were midway, State Congress Chief
went on saying that though Panchayat polls were held on a non-party basis;
Congress has an edge in these elections as vote percentage of candidates backed
by it has increased in comparison to 2008 Assembly elections. “Sarpanchs and
Panchs elected with Congress ideology have shown edge to the Congress in
Panchayati polls in Kashmir even as elections
are going on,” Saif-u-din-Soz said. “Congress has got much more than expected
in Panchayat polls in Kashmir. There was
increase in the vote bank of Congress as compared to 2008 Assembly elections”.
Soz further said, “Our candidate in Noorabad had polled only 11,500 votes in
2008 Assembly elections and lost to National Conference (NC) candidate who is
now a Minister. Today he got 23,500 votes. Similarly, in Ganderbal Assembly
segment we have gained in terms of votes, he said, adding that he wasn’t
expecting such an edge to the party in Ganderbal”.
This not for the first time and for a particular issue
coalition partners are sailing in different directions for vote politics but
two days earlier, Mr Omar out rightly rejected the demand of Congress
leadership by making it clear that there would be no change of guard and even
no reshuffle. Reporters in media reported it as no risk taking polity. It is
important to recall that on April 25 Saif-u-din-Soz has said that cabinet
expansion is on cards in J-K after the conclusion of Panchayat polls.
"After panchayat elections conclude, expansion and reshuffle would take
place in Jammu and Kashmir,"
Soz said. He was replying to questions on filling the two vacancies of Congress
in Mr Omar government, Soz had earlier said that cabinet expansion will take
place after the Legislative Council polls in Jammu and Kashmir on April 13
concludes.
Political critics suggested that when coalition partners
could keep each other in good humor and keep showing inferior to each how come
common masses expect all round development in society. They explained that
constructing bridges and roads or schools and colleges is work of engineers and
laborers, politicians should not get credit of it, instead they should build
moral and develop brains of common people to cultivate rich and prosperous
future generations.