Take charge or make way for polls; Omar shoots off open letter to Mehbooba

Says the dilly-dallying biggest disservice to J&K, PDP tightlipped on govt formation

Amid continuing suspense over government formation in the state, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today shot off an open letter to Peoples Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti asking her to either take over as Chief Minister or get the Assembly dissolved to make way for fresh elections in Jammu and Kashmir.
The PDP leadership, however, remained tightlipped over the impasse. “There is no further development (on government formation). We have authorised Mehboobaji to take a final call and the decision will be her prerogative,” said PDP chief spokesperson Naeem Akhtar.
In an open letter posted on social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, Omar, while sympathising with Mehbooba over the demise of her father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, told the PDP president that “the dilly-dally is the biggest disservice you can do to us, the people of J&K”.
Omar, however, betrayed his ignorance of constitutional matters when he suggested that Mehbooba should recommend dissolution of the Assembly. Mehbooba is only the president of the PDP, the largest group in the J&K Assembly, and Member of Parliament. She is neither an MLA nor leader of the House and as such she cannot call for dissolution of the House. Moreover, she is not even the Chief Minister, who has such powers in the state Constitution.
“If you are unable or unwilling to assume the responsibilities that are being placed on your shoulders then you must do your duty to the people, recommend to His Excellency the Governor to dissolve the Assembly, and let the people make a fresh decision in an election….,” said Omar, who is the working president of the National Conference.
Posing some blunt questions to Mehbooba, Omar asked, “I want to ask you —- why are we being made to wait for a government? Your alliance with the BJP stands and no fresh negotiations are taking place, so why is the state under Central rule? What are you waiting for, Mehbooba?”
He said, “Are you afraid? Of course you must be. I would be terrified if I was in your place. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for you to take over without the benefit of your father’s guidance and wisdom to steer your decisions. Unfortunately, you don’t get to choose the circumstances under which you assume the responsibilities of the CM of J&K, but your fear cannot be grounds enough to deny the people an elected government”.
Omar, who was Chief Minister for six years during the previous NC-Congress coalition government, told the PDP president that her task ahead after taking over as Chief Minister would not be easy.
“The road ahead will be rocky and you will not know who you can turn to for objective, impartial advice but you must either rise to the occasion or else step back. The people of the state cannot be expected to wait for you to make up your mind. Taking over now is not a sign of being power hungry, but not taking over is certainly an abuse of the trust the people placed in you and your party”, he wrote.
The former Chief Minister also made a mention of the infighting in the PDP camp, saying: “Thank you for clarifying that we should not expect anything. Thank you for clarifying that the Agenda of Alliance is ‘a sacred document’, the same document that only a few days ago had been termed a failure by your own senior colleague. Thank you for clarifying that no new demands are being made on your allies, that no concessions are being sought. At least we know that it will be business as usual when the business of governing resumes”.
Omar said he was mistaken that the Governor’s rule had been imposed in the state for a short time after she refused to take over as Chief Minister during the mourning period for her father.
“Your reluctance to step up and take charge meant that in less than a year, the state had to be placed under Central rule again. No state should be denied an elected government, but I took some consolation from the belief, alas mistaken, that Central rule would be a short-lived affair and you would take over after the four days of mourning,” the NC leader wrote.
Empathising with the PDP president, Omar said that his heart went to the PDP president when her father took ill. “Having seen my father in and out of hospital for the better part of two years and then having had both parents recover from a major surgery, I know how difficult it would have been for you to see your father unwell. When news of his demise came, my concern turned to sorrow at your loss, at your family’s loss and at the state’s loss,” he wrote.
He said he was one among those who refused to attribute motive to the reluctance of Mehbooba from taking over immediately after the demise of her father. “Discussions were conducted and articles were written trying to suggest that your refusal was part of some Machiavellian plan to pressurise your allies as well as your colleagues. I stood firm in my belief that the person I saw weeping at her father’s grave could not possibly be scheming behind a mask of grief. The grief was too raw, too real to be an act designed to conceal some sinister plan to grab glory,” wrote Omar.