The sudden decision to dissolve the J&K Assembly has “chicken” written all over it. After exploring splitting the PDP to form a patchwork with Sajjid Lone’s two-man outfit, the ruling entity in New Delhi was clearly shaken by the move of the PDP-NC-Congress that would crush the toehold the BJP had gained during its brief flirtation with Mehbooba Mufti.

Not surprisingly, the political-appointee of a Governor danced to the party tune. The “fixers” actually sensed that they were being outfoxed ~ as in Karnataka ~ and reverted to what had been demanded by both the NC and the PDP after the BJP had pulled the plug on the “agenda of alliance”. Yet while manipulating its way to power is a pet ploy of the saffron party, alas others can also play the dirty game: something to be borne in mind in coming days by those forging anti-BJP fronts.

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A bluff has been called, the NDA is not as invincible as it thinks: hence must depend on pliant governors to “complete the job”. When the present gentleman was appointed much was made of the state being liberated from former bureaucrats and military personnel ~ the true meaning of a “political” governor has just been articulated.

The BJP is citing a host of reasons to find fault with the three-way tie-up ~ Ghulam Nabi Azad insists it was still only a suggestion ~ yet all the unholy attributes it is now ascribing could so easily be said about its having earlier opted to play second fiddle to Mehbooba.

At least the three parties have a degree of cement in their common resistance to the attempts to tinker with Articles 35 and 370. For Kashmir-based parties, the special status of J&K is an Article of Faith: the BJP is incapable of perceiving that as anything more than Nehruvian folly. As for the claim that the “traditional” Kashmir parties were rattled by the participation in local elections, the answer will be provided when the Centre exhibits the guts to order fresh polls to the Assembly.

Meanwhile, the unique Constitution of J&K is being studied to determine if Mr Satya Pal Malik’s action is open to judicial scrutiny. The eventual sufferers are the people of J&K, folk in Kashmir in particular. For ethnic and religious reasons, they have hardly been deemed part of the mainstream, and the BJP’s geography would condemn them to a ‘ganda nallah’.

Filthy politics and the New Delhi- Srinagar divide, have caused them as much distress as four wars, militancy/insurgency and terrorism. When new prime ministers assume office on Raisina Hill hopes are generated, promises made. To be fair to the present incumbent he did not speak in terms of a breakthrough ~ he has merely accelerated the much-apprehended breakdown-process. The Hizbul, LET etc, must be welcoming the latest move by a Governor whose fax machine was conveniently on the blink.