Cong can’t play kingmaker’s role forever

JAVAID MALIK

GNS SRINAGAR FEB,09 :The ruling National Conference is in the process of rejuvenating its cadres. Recent cabinet reshuffle and appointing new party functionaries looks like to be the first step towards gearing up for 2014 parliamentary and assembly polls. NC’s claim of entering into a “grand alliance” with its present coalition partner, Congress, seems to have unnerved the main opposition party Peoples Democratic Party.

There seems to be no activity taking place in the PDP camp; it appears as if the party leaders and cadres have started believing that if NC enters into a pre-poll alliance with the Congress then the party has no chance of coming to power in 2014 elections. The party which appeared in the political arena of the state in late nineties and created a history by forming a government in 2002 seems to have gone in a deep slumber since the day Chief Minister Omar Abdullah hinted at the possibility of NC and Congress  fighting  2014 elections jointly.
Lot of people in Kashmir still believe that PDP can prove to be a tough competitor for NC as PDP leadership has all along been claiming that it has emerged as a strong  alternative.
At present NC leaders and its workers seem to be omnipresent while as opposition is missing from the scene. If the PDP continues to remain in oblivion it can have far reaching consequences as the party had gained a lot in the past one decade.
PDP leadership during past four years has ensured that it refrains from taking cudgels with the Congress. The party leaves no stone unturned to blame NC for everything that has gone wrong since NC and Congress joined hands in 2009. PDP believes that Congress is its natural ally and it is no point annoying the party.
There is no doubt about the fact that NC and Congress would have an upper hand in 2014 elections if they contest the polls jointly, but that does not mean that PDP and other small parties have no chance.
 PDP instead of appeasing New Delhi needs to focus on the areas where both the ruling parties have failed to deliver. If PDP waits for Congress decision, it can prove suicidal for the party and the people of Kashmir.
Political scene in J&K cannot change till mainstream politicians change their mindset. They need to believe that power centre lies with people and not in New Delhi. During the past few years the huge participation of people in elections has made one thing clear that people have become aware of their political rights and they are slowly saying goodbye to “boycott policy.”
NC seems to have realized it that is why party leadership is trying to reach out to more and more people. It seems NC’s first aim is to emerge as single largest party. One wonders why PDP leadership is not thinking on the same lines?
Some senior PDP leaders camping in New Delhi by appearing in TV shows and adopting “more loyal than king” approach are doing no good to the party.
One hopes that PDP realizes that it is the main opposition party in JK and it had won just a few seats less than ruling NC in 2008 assembly elections.  If it can perform better than 2008 in 2014 and joins hands with smaller parties it can emerge as an alternative or even become single largest party. Power is all about numbers. It is not necessary that Congress would play king maker’s role forever.