PDP-BJP 'alliance' runs into rough weather over delimitation issue
https://www.authintmail.com/2015/kashmir/pdp-bjp-alliance-runs-rough-weather-over-delimitation-issue-192604
BY AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
FEBRUARY 24, 2015
JAMMU -- Even as all the "crucial issues" have been resolved between the People's Democratic Party and the BJP, the latter's insistence on fresh delimitation of the assembly constituencies in Jammu has emerged as a major hiccup over government formation in the region.
Highly placed sources in New Delhi disclosed to Authint Mail on Monday that the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed could be sworn in as chief minister on March 1 but the issue of fresh delimitation in Jammu, which has been strongly pursued by the BJP high command, had yet again cast the clouds of uncertainty over the new coalition.
The BJP high command, according to sources, was strongly insisting on what it calls "rationalisation" of the assembly segments. While referring to the population size in Kashmir and Jammu divisions, the BJP has pointed out to the PDP that the previous delimitation, which added 11 seats to the 76-member House in 1995-96, was "remarkably disproportionate".
In the 87-member assembly after 1996, Kashmir valley of 10 districts and almost the same number of voters as in Jammu has 46 segments. Jammu division with 10 districts has only 37 seats. All the Jammu-based parties, particularly BJP and Bhim Singh's National Panthers Party, have been demanding fresh delimitation and increase of nine segments.
During the current talks, the BJP leaders have pointed out that in over a dozen segments in Jammu division, the number of voters was between hundred thousand and hundred fifty thousand.
On the contrary, source said, the BJP leaders have pointed out that only a few segments in Kashmir had over one lakh voters.
Some segments like Sangrama, Gurez and Karnah have just 13,000 or 30,000 voters as compared to over hundred fifty thousand in three segments of Jammu district," a BJP leader said.
On the pattern of a freeze of the Lok Sabha constituencies till 2026, the J&K legislature had put an embargo on delimitation of assembly segments for an equal period during the National Conference-Congress government headed by Omar Abdullah.
The BJP, according to the sources, wants to unfreeze it with the collaboration of PDP.
However, Mufti is understood to have communicated to the BJP that the PDP would "in no circumstances" collaborate in increasing of the proposed nine seats in Jammu as it could be exploited not only by his mainstream competitor National Conference but also the separatist opposition.
Nevertheless, source said, the PDP is inclined to proportional increase of eight seats, four each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions. "We cannot give up on our claim of rotational chief ministership for nothing. Rationally, the BJP must get some vital dividends if it surrenders on the claim of giving the state its first chief minister from Jammu", said a senior BJP leader.
He pointed out that the number of the seats in the state assembly won by the BJP and its allies is 28, just one short of the PDP. He said a fresh hiccup had surfaced which was being resolved.
About the portfolio distribution, a BJP leader claimed that PDP had agreed to give the key portfolios of Planning & Development as well as Finance to the BJP.
Two of the senior PDP leaders, believed to be privy to the talks with BJP, confirmed that "fresh hiccup" has delayed constitution of the new government.
He said that today's scheduled meeting of the PDP team - Mehbooba Mufti, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Haseeb Drabu - with the BJP President Amit Shah did not materialise.
"This delimitation issue could be one of the reasons, though the BJP chief was preoccupied with a heavy schedule on the first day of the parliament session".
MINISTERIAL PROBABLES
A source in the BJP's state insisted that all the critical issues had been resolved and the new cabinet of 12 ministers - six each from BJP and PDP - could be sworn in on March 1. They said that 12 more ministers from the two parties could be sworn in subsequently.
According to the source, BJP's Dr Nirmal Singh, Kavinder Gupta, Sukhnandan Chowdhary, Lal Singh, Bali Bhagat, Ravinder Raina and Abdul Gani Kohli had been shortlisted while as PDP could be represented by Naeem Akhtar, Altaf Bukhari, Haseeb Drabu, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Abdul Haq Khan, one among Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Javed Mustafa Mir besides Aesia Naqash, Imran Raza Ansari, Choudhary Zulfikar, Anayat Ali and Vikramadatya.
END
https://www.authintmail.com/2015/kashmir/pdp-bjp-alliance-runs-rough-weather-over-delimitation-issue-192604
BY AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
FEBRUARY 24, 2015
JAMMU -- Even as all the "crucial issues" have been resolved between the People's Democratic Party and the BJP, the latter's insistence on fresh delimitation of the assembly constituencies in Jammu has emerged as a major hiccup over government formation in the region.
Highly placed sources in New Delhi disclosed to Authint Mail on Monday that the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed could be sworn in as chief minister on March 1 but the issue of fresh delimitation in Jammu, which has been strongly pursued by the BJP high command, had yet again cast the clouds of uncertainty over the new coalition.
The BJP high command, according to sources, was strongly insisting on what it calls "rationalisation" of the assembly segments. While referring to the population size in Kashmir and Jammu divisions, the BJP has pointed out to the PDP that the previous delimitation, which added 11 seats to the 76-member House in 1995-96, was "remarkably disproportionate".
In the 87-member assembly after 1996, Kashmir valley of 10 districts and almost the same number of voters as in Jammu has 46 segments. Jammu division with 10 districts has only 37 seats. All the Jammu-based parties, particularly BJP and Bhim Singh's National Panthers Party, have been demanding fresh delimitation and increase of nine segments.
During the current talks, the BJP leaders have pointed out that in over a dozen segments in Jammu division, the number of voters was between hundred thousand and hundred fifty thousand.
On the contrary, source said, the BJP leaders have pointed out that only a few segments in Kashmir had over one lakh voters.
Some segments like Sangrama, Gurez and Karnah have just 13,000 or 30,000 voters as compared to over hundred fifty thousand in three segments of Jammu district," a BJP leader said.
On the pattern of a freeze of the Lok Sabha constituencies till 2026, the J&K legislature had put an embargo on delimitation of assembly segments for an equal period during the National Conference-Congress government headed by Omar Abdullah.
The BJP, according to the sources, wants to unfreeze it with the collaboration of PDP.
However, Mufti is understood to have communicated to the BJP that the PDP would "in no circumstances" collaborate in increasing of the proposed nine seats in Jammu as it could be exploited not only by his mainstream competitor National Conference but also the separatist opposition.
Nevertheless, source said, the PDP is inclined to proportional increase of eight seats, four each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions. "We cannot give up on our claim of rotational chief ministership for nothing. Rationally, the BJP must get some vital dividends if it surrenders on the claim of giving the state its first chief minister from Jammu", said a senior BJP leader.
He pointed out that the number of the seats in the state assembly won by the BJP and its allies is 28, just one short of the PDP. He said a fresh hiccup had surfaced which was being resolved.
About the portfolio distribution, a BJP leader claimed that PDP had agreed to give the key portfolios of Planning & Development as well as Finance to the BJP.
Two of the senior PDP leaders, believed to be privy to the talks with BJP, confirmed that "fresh hiccup" has delayed constitution of the new government.
He said that today's scheduled meeting of the PDP team - Mehbooba Mufti, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Haseeb Drabu - with the BJP President Amit Shah did not materialise.
"This delimitation issue could be one of the reasons, though the BJP chief was preoccupied with a heavy schedule on the first day of the parliament session".
MINISTERIAL PROBABLES
A source in the BJP's state insisted that all the critical issues had been resolved and the new cabinet of 12 ministers - six each from BJP and PDP - could be sworn in on March 1. They said that 12 more ministers from the two parties could be sworn in subsequently.
According to the source, BJP's Dr Nirmal Singh, Kavinder Gupta, Sukhnandan Chowdhary, Lal Singh, Bali Bhagat, Ravinder Raina and Abdul Gani Kohli had been shortlisted while as PDP could be represented by Naeem Akhtar, Altaf Bukhari, Haseeb Drabu, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Abdul Haq Khan, one among Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Javed Mustafa Mir besides Aesia Naqash, Imran Raza Ansari, Choudhary Zulfikar, Anayat Ali and Vikramadatya.
END
No comments:
Post a Comment