Srinagar, Nov 21 (KNS): A day of heightened political activity in summer capital Srinagar and winter capital Jammu on Wednesday morning started with parleys on government formation and ended with the dissolution of the assembly. The day started with the statements from National Conference, Congress and PDP leaders for formation of a new non BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir and ended with dissolution of assembly in late evening hours.
Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik in the late evening hours dissolved the legislative assembly minutes after Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP and Peoples Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone staked claim to form the government with the support of Congress and National Conference. The Governor passed the order in exercise of the powers conferred upon him by clause (b) of section 53 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
Shortly after Mehbooba staked claim to form the government with the support of Congress and NC and People’s Conference Chairman Sajad Gani Lone also sent a letter to the Governor staking claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of 25-member BJP the Governor issued an order to dissolve the assembly. 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. An order issued from the Raj Bhawan in Jammu said “By virtue of the powers vested upon me in terms of Proclamation No: P-1/18 of 2018 dated: 20th June 2018 issued under sub-section (1) of Section 92 and in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by Clause (b) of seb-section (2) of Section-53 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir, I hereby dissolve the Legislative Assembly,” said a communiqué issued by the Raj Bhavan.
Meanwhile PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah, Senior Congress leader and leader of the opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad and another senior leader Prof Saif Ud Din Soz in their tweets questioned the decision of Governor Satya Pal Malik to dissolve the assembly on legal, constitutional and moral lines.
Taking a jibe at Governor's decision to dissolve the assembly, Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti in series of tweet said, " in my twenty six year old career as a politician, I thought I had seen it all! But like they say never say never! Nevertheless, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Omar Abdullah and Ambika soni4 for helping us achieve the seemingly impossible." She added saying "our pleas fell on deaf ears." Yet in another tweet Mehbooba wrote “Oddly enough our pleas fell on deaf ears. But who would have thought that the very idea of a grand coalition would give such jitters.”
In another tweet she wrote “Since the past five months, regardless of political affiliations, we shared the view that the state assembly be dissolved immediately to avert horse trading & defections”.
National Conference Vice President and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah wrote on twitter “JKNC has been pressing for assembly dissolution for 5 months now. It can’t be a coincidence that within minutes of Mehbooba Mufti Sahiba letter staking claim the order to dissolve the assembly suddenly appears”.
Senior Congress leader and leader of the opposition in the Rajaya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad in a tweet wrote “I said this afternoon also that it's a suggestion & no final decision has been taken yet (on PDP-NC-Congress alliance). BJP dissolved the assembly even though only a proposal was made: Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress on #JammuAndKashmir.”
In a tweet senior Congress leader and former Union Minister Prof Saif-Ud-Din Soz wrote “Mehbooba Ji should move court as what Governor has done on Centre's instructions is undemocratic & unconstitutional.
Mehbooba Mufti wrote to Governor only after Congress & NC supported PDP & Guv should've given her a chance.” (KNS)