Deliver or Perish

The message holds good for this government and for all governments to come!

With his three months of perfect rule, Narinder Nath Vohra  has created new benchmarks in governance. This brief period of all development and less mess-up can be treated as a case study for good governance. No one can deny this three months flawless rule delivered what politicians couldn’t deliver in years. So, whenever performance and delivery system of present Mehbooba Mufti headed government will be assessed, it has to compare its progress sheet with that of Governor N.N.Vohra’s short but cute governance. Mehbooba Mufti is aware of this fact and in her first meeting with her cabinet colleagues and top bureaucrats she stressed upon flawless delivery system and eradication of corruption at all levels.

Interestingly, the three months saga of delay in government formation is now unfolding like a classic political mystery. In this long delay there was something more than agenda of alliance that was being sorted out within the PDP itself. Over ambitious colleagues, apparent revolt and political tantrums of few within the PDP kept Mehbooba Mufti over busy during these months. Simultaneously, she had to behave tough while negotiating with her alliance partners and put a brave face of ‘all is well’. Mehbooba Mufti’s political training under her astute father and her hard work as self-made political worker paid at the end and she managed a smooth sail through this political crisis, that too when she was under tremendous pressure both at domestic and political front. Under these circumstances if Ms. Mufti is able to deliver only half of her commitment, she will not only be a big success but will surely leave a lasting mark on political and administrative canvas of Jammu and Kashmir.

As I mentioned in my earlier write-up, Mehbooba Mufti has several attributes to her credit. She is self-made politician, has never held any office of benefit prior to this top assignment, and above all she is a woman , rather first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. If she wishes, she can deliver to the best of her ability and capacity, resting a new foundation of good, efficient and honest governance. She can recast the contours of justified governance in the best interest of people of this state who have been suffering at the hands of corrupt politicians for decades. As a women, daughter, and mother she understands the pain and sufferings of people better than anyone else. Poor people of this state have suffered innumerably; particularly people of Kashmir have suffered agonizingly on all accounts more than any other region of the state and if Mehbooba Mufti decides she can fulfil the much cherished dream of her late father—‘development through peace’ with much ease.

The most challenging task for Mehbooba Mufti is restoring the institutions of governance in the state that have not only failed, but have almost vanished over the period of time. Most of the administrative procedures laid by our elders have either been circumvented by powerful corrupt mafia and their cronies or made irrelevant. This government has to act both politically and on administrative front to set the system right and weed out the rot. Political efforts will be more important as poison of corruption flows from top to bottom. Obviously, in coalition politics and in charged political scenario of Jammu and Kashmir taming corrupt, inefficient and perpetuators of nepotism is not an easy task. All sort of hurdles will hamper the administrative reforms and eradication of corruption but dedication and honesty at personal level by the leadership will surely make the task easy. This government has to do away with the existing cronyism, oligarchies and politico-administrative mafias only then can it achieve the targets of clean and efficient governance.
In all her efforts of good governance, people of this state has to show some patience for a certain period so that she can consolidate her position amid the existing hostile system of political quandaries, coalition discomforts and her own party troubles. Knowing her being new to administration people of Jammu and Kashmir has to bear with her and if even then she fails to deliver then her own words “Deliver or perish” will hold good enough not only for Mehbooba Mufti and her team, but for the whole political spectrum of Jammu and Kashmir.