Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti (File Photo)
It was a normal working day for Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Tuesday (June 19) until a phone call that changed the course of politics in Jammu and Kashmir forever. Mehbooba Mufti was in her office attending files as usual unaware of the fact that the government she was heading in the state is about to be toppled.
When the BJP was preparing to make public its decision of exiting the alliance with the PDP in J&K in New Delhi, Mehbooba Mufti was at the civil secretariat in Srinagar. Governor N N Vohra called Chief Secretary B B Vyas asking him to arrange a call with Mehbooba. By the time it was clear that her maiden term as CM of Jammu and Kashmir is about to end abruptly.
According to secretariat officials privy of the events, Governor Vohra informed Mehbooba about the BJP's decision to end the alliance with PDP. BJP state president Ravinder Raina had conveyed the governor about the decision in a letter along with the resignation letters of the BJP ministers.
Mehbooba, 59, listened to the news in silence, and after a pause said there was no need for talks with the BJP and she would be submitting her resignation, the officials said.
Soon after, BJP leader Ram Madhav told the media about his party's decision to end the three-year-old fractious alliance with the PDP.
But what led the BJP to pull out of the J&K government?
What led to the withdrawal of the support by the BJP? According to the information available with India TV, there were five reasons behind it:
1. PDP's soft approach towards terrorists
The BJP was not comfortable with Mehbooba's soft approach towards terrorists operating in the Valley. Mehbooba's denial of green signal to the Army for the commencement of military operations against the terrorists is believed to be the biggest reason behind rhe BJP's withdrawal of support.
According to information available with India TV, the Indian Army had identified the terrorists who had killed 44 RR jawan Aurangzeb. The Army had also got information about their location. However, Mehbooba refused permission to an operation against the killers of Aurangzeb, saying it will be difficult to tackle the aftermath of the encounter.
2. Mehbooba's denial of permission for "Search and Destroy Operation" of Army after Shujaat Bukhari's murder
Mehbooba had also reortedly refused permission for "Search and Destroy Operation" of the Army after the Killing of Shujaat Bukhari, the editor of "The Rising Kashmir".
It is believed that the Army had the information about the killers of Shujaat Bukhari. The central govt wanted to seal/cordon downtown srinagar and carry out search and destroy operations, for which Mehbooba did not give permission.
3. Mehbooba's reluctance for deployment of additional forces for upcoming Amarnath yatra
It is believed that Mehbooba Mufti was not in favour of deployment of additional forces for the upcoming Amarnath yatra in the state despite the fact that the central agencies had strong inputs regarding terrorists' plans to target the yatra.
There were plans for deploying Army personnel and 20 additional battalions of the CRPF on the entire Amarnath yatra route. However, Mehboba did not give the permission for the same.
4. Mehbooba stopped sharing intelligence reports with central agencies, Army
Of late, Mehbooba Mufti government had stopped sharing state intelligence reports with the central agencies, including Indian Army which had further deteriorated PDP's relations with the BJP.
5. Failure to maintain law and order in state
The BJP was unhappy with Mehbooba for not controlling law and order in thew state. Almost a month back, a message was sent by the Centre to her that the law and order situation was spiralling out of control and that she should take measures to control it. However, she turned a blind eye to the advice.
Watch: Why BJP pulled out of alliance with PDP in J&K
