Kashmir was put under Governor’s rule the ninth time since 1977. The BJP-PDP alliance broke off under the worsening security situation in the valley. In view of this, BJP has alleged the PDP to be differentiating between Jammu and the Kashmir valley as two separate identities rather than a unit of the state. As per the article 92 of the Jammu and Kashmir Constitution, the state’s assemble stays in a suspended animation for a period of six months. By suspended animation, it means that the MLA’s still holds their respective legislative assembly without any proper legislation power.
The National Conference leader Omar Abdullah called for an early election but maintained their position that the Governor’s rule was the best possibility. The major security concerns which surfaced also attacked the local policemen as it happened with Ahmed Dar who was abducted by the terrorists in the south district in Shopian and was then found dead (6th July) later on the same day there was reportedly a terrorist attack in Pulwama district at Hanifa Mosque.
However, looking deeper there’s another side to the fallout, while the center is now at the full control of the valley the only string that serves with the democratic sense between India-Kashmir is the voting rights. When such incidents of capturing people’s choice are out and in the show, this affects the common mindset among the locals. Sajjad Lone in among this freshly stirred up story is now counted as the Modi’s man. In one of the interview, Lone mentions that Kashmiris deserve much better than what the Abdullah and the Muftis has given them, and ended with “Kashmir needs a new leadership”
The new leadership at this point can mean a domination of Kashmiri legislators that would be in majority with the BJP chosen MLA’s both in local and the central more than the PDP ever had. Moreover, Lone seems to be the forerunner in the Chief Ministership position in the state and having a New Delhi backing is an advantage in this situation. In the recent split, PDP counted on 28 MLA’s whereas BJP supported with 25 MLA’s. This trickier situation counts for either chipping away the MLA’s from the PDP or on Independents and winning over districts with their own MLA’s.