First session of first assembly of J&K UT

After the oath ceremony of MLAs a couple of days back,  the focus has now shifted on the coming session of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) legislative assembly. This will be the first session of the first legislative assembly of the union territory ( UT) of Jammu and Kashmir. This will be also for the first time that J&K will not be having a legislative council (upper house). In past, the erstwhile J&K state had two houses and the legislature had also members from Ladakh region. But now the Ladakh is a separate union territory without an assembly.

The cabinet in its first meeting recently has advised the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to summon the assembly on November 4.  How long will the session continue and what will be the business, will be  known later after the assembly is summoned and calender issued.

Senior National Conference (NC) leader and member of Parliament  (MP) Syed Agha Ruhulla Mehdi recently said that he is hopeful that the assembly in its very session will pass a resolution against the August 5, 2019 decisions of the central government. The decisions had led to the bifurcation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories and abrogation of Articles 370 and 35 -A. Passing of such a resolution is a promise made by the ruling party National Conference in its election manifesto.

The  cabinet during its  recent meeting also passed  a resolution urging the central government to restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The ruling party was criticised by the opposition for not passing a resolution against August 5, 2019 decisions.

During the campaigning for assembly polls, NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah had stated that if BJP with its like minded parties of Kashmir form the government,  the first thing they would do” is to pass a resolution in the assembly endorsing the  August 5, 2019 decisions.” That way the central government would tell the world that people of J&K have supported its decisions, he had added. But BJP could not get majority and could not form the government. NC- Congress pre- poll alliance got the majority and later several independent MLAs  also supported in NC.

Now after forming its own government, is NC going to pass the resolution in assembly demanding restoration of Articles 370 and 35 A? If NC moves such a resolution, Congress will find itself in a tight spot. Congress has not opposed the revocation of Article 370 and 35 A but it has only objected the way it was done. However, the premier national opposition party has strongly criticised the downgrading of Jammu and Kashmir into a union territory and has been strongly demanding restoration of the statehood. Congress having six MLAs will take the same line in the assembly also. The Kashmir based opposition parties PDP having three legislators, People’s Conference having one and Awami Ittihad Party with one will also support the NC’s resolution. So would the CPI (M), which was part of the pre-poll alliance with the NC. The main opposition party, BJP having 29 MLAs and expected to get the support of five nominated legislators would oppose the resolution. Going by the strength of the parties, the resolution can get passed through simple majority.

Political observers feel that if NC is able to get the resolution passed it will further consolidate its position politically, not only right now but for future also, and leave little space for opposition in Kashmir to recover from the setbacks they received in assembly election.

However, passing such a resolution is also a big risk for the newly elected government as far as its relations with the central government are concerned. Centre would not like any kind of political adventurism by the J&K government and that too within days after its formation. Some media reports from New Delhi quoting an unnamed official say that central government is in no hurry to  restore the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The union government would wait and monitor developments in J& K for three to six months first, the report added.

A resolution for restoration of autonomy passed by J&K assembly in 2000 had also strained the relations between the then BJP led central government and the NC state government. The resolution was outrightly rejected by the union government.

In the present J&K assembly, the treasury benches will face  challenges from a strong opposition of BJP. The little opposition from Kashmir based parties PDP, People’s Conference, and Awami Ittihad Party too will try to make its presence felt.

NC has a strong combination of very senior and junior leaders to counter the opposition onslaught. Some of the senior leaders have very long experience in assembly and know how to handle tough times on the floor of the house.

Author is senior editor, Greater Kashmir