Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir LIVE: First off, Vohra calls meeting with CRPF, Army, J&K Police officers to draft anti-terrorism strategy

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President Ram Nath Kovind has approved the imposition of governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir with immediate effect, the Home Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday morning. Soon after taking charge, Governor NN Vohra has called a crucial meeting at 12:30 pm with CRPF, Army and J&K Police officers. The agenda of the meeting was to prepare strategy for handling the growing menace of terrorism in the state.

The move comes after Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) pulled out of the ruling alliance with People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the state government yesterday. While announcing the decision, the BJP said that the continuation of the alliance would have been against national interest. Chief spokesperson of J&K BJP Sunil Sethi said the insistence of the PDP for extension of the period of suspension of operations and soft approach towards militants, Pakistan and separatists were hurting the nationalistic sentiments not only in Jammu and Kashmir but across the country . 

Also read | Governor's rule in Jammu and Kashmir: Meet the man incharge

Here are the LIVE Updates: 

01:31 pm: I haven’t met any @jkpdp MLAs, Omar Abdullah tweets

01:18 pm: Governor of Jammu & Kashmir NN Vohra holds a meeting with senior administration officers & security forces in Srinagar.

01:14 pm: J&K Chief Secy tells ECI bypoll to Anantnag not possible in current circumstances: Sources

01:05 pm: Chairperson, J&K State Commission for Women, Nayeema Ahmad Mahjoor, has resigned from the govt early morning today. She sent her resignation to governor. Nayeema Mahjoor has served in BBC world service as a senior journalist and editor for 15 yrs before being appointed as a chairperson. She has resigned since was a political appointee of Mehbooba Mufti.

12:49 pm: Those who say that horse trading is being done, are the ones who actually do it. We have no motive to do any kind of horse-trading in J&K: Ravinder Raina, J&K BJP chief on Omar Abdullah's tweet. The former CM had tweeted: 'The J&K state assembly should be dissolved immediately & fresh elections should take place as soon as appropriate. The former DCM has admitted that BJP can’t be trusted not to horsetrade for Govt formation.'

11:50 am: Additional chief secretary (Home) in Chattisgarh Govt, BVR Subramaniam, posted to Jammu and Kashmir, as the state goes under Governor’s rule. According to sources, Subramaniam will be appointed as the new Chief Secretary

11:22 am: National Conference core group meeting in Srinagar to discuss and deliberate on political situation. Meeting starts at Nawai Subah HQ of National Conference. Meeting headed by vice president Omar Abdullah.

11:19 am: To gear up the State administrative machinery to function with speed, efficiency and accountability the Governor is speaking to senior officers of  the Civil, Police, Forest and other departments today. This meeting shall be followed by a Security Review Meeting at the Raj Bhavan in the afternoon, the official statement said.

11:19 am: Governor held discussions with BB Vyas Chief Secretary today forenoon and identified the major tasks which shall require to be dealt with on a strict time bound basis, beginning from today, the official statement said.

11:19 am: Immediately after receiving President of India’s approval, Governor N.N. Vohra issued the Proclamation to impose Governor’s Rule in the State under section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir today, an official statement said. 

11:10 am: J&K governor takes over reigns of administration in J&K. NN Vohra called first meeting in civil secretariat, and address civil and police officials. Meeting will start with civil administration at 12:30. And later will be security review meeting

The Opposition parties saw BJP's decision to pull out of the ruling coalition with the PDP as an attempt to gain "lost ground" ahead of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls as commoners attached their hopes with the governor's rule to restore peace and ensure development of the state. 

"BJP was feeling that the earth beneath its feet was fast skidding and hence pulled out of the PDP-led government with an eye on the upcoming parliamentary elections," National Panthers Party chairman and former minister Harsh Dev Singh said. 

Also read | What happened moments before BJP announced exit from alliance with PDP in J&K

Congress chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said the PDP-BJP government collapsed under its own weight. 

"BJP was under intense pressure from the entire nation because of its failure to deal with Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan as was promised by it prior to coming to the power at the Centre. In order to save political space, the BJP withdrew support but not before pushing the state into a crisis," he said.

He said it was expected that the government will not last long because both the parties had compromised their election manifesto. 

NPP supremo Bhim Singh termed the BJP move a "stunt to save its face on national level" and said this is going to be the "waterloo" for both PDP and BJP in the state. 

Singh, however, congratulated PDP for "giving a loaf in power to the state BJP leaders from Jammu" and exposing their commitment towards the welfare of the people of Jammu region. 

Also read | BJP ends alliance with PDP in J&K: 10 facts

The Governor's rule is likely to see a sharp rise in military and police activities to restore peace in the Valley. Jammu and Kashmir  Director General of Police SP Vaid on Tuesday said that operations against militants in Kashmir would be intensified in the coming days. 

He said counter-terrorism operations were stopped only during the just-ended period of Ramzan.

"They were going on earlier also, but we will intensify these operations in the days to come. And it would be, I think, much easier to work," the Jammu and Kashmir police chief said when asked if governor's rule would make a difference.

Vaid said terrorist activities increased during the period the security forces suspended the operations."But we will go all out and intensify operations against the terrorists now," he said.

He said the suspension of operations had an impact in the fight against terrorists as they were at an advantage. "The orders were to maintain a high alert in the camps so that if the camps were attacked, we are able to retaliate effectively. But one could not launch operations even when there was specific intelligence about the presence of terrorists. So that obviously was advantageous for the terrorists," he said.

Also read | Five reasons why BJP pulled out of Mehbooba Mufti govt in Jammu and Kashmir

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