Almost a week after the historic elections in Jammu and Kashmir the government formation remains as elusive as the peace which the State was looking for. The political stalemate has devoid the electorates the confidence with which they voted to bring in the much needed change. So much so the political compulsion has made each and every adversary to form a common front to somehow break the logjam. The Assembly elections so far considered as the fairest ones has brought the regional biases to the fore so open that the opportunity to keep the separatists from the main stream looks difficult. It is a gained opportunity lost. In this game, Bharatiya Janata Party looks to lose more than any political party and what to talk of Mission 44+ which has remained an elusive dream for the saffron outfit which had one of the most aggressive election campaigning compared to Congress and National Conference. It took six years for the party to reach 25-seats level from 11 which they gained riding on the Amarnath land agitation euphoria. But the gains have failed to enrich party position and whatever the fortunes maybe it was the only ‘Modi factor’ which helped party in consolidating its position. Besides that if one comes to the State leadership’s capability to steer the ship, everyone knows the reality. In such a political vacuum can we expect a government of consensus emerging in Jammu and Kashmir. The mandate may be muddled but not without clear messages. One may like it or not but the fact is that regionalism has dominated the poll outcome. These results have thrown a serious challenge to the politicians who are expected to a call by showing their political maturity and sagacity to respect regional mandate which is a harsh reality of the State. The parties may gather numbers to reach the magic figure of 44 but the moot point is that whether the parties who got mandate are being sidelined on the pretext of consolidation. Any such grouping on ideological lines, would have its own pitfalls in this sensitive border State hit by militancy and cross-border disturbances.
