THE daylight moment of the spring of 2015 when the PDP-BJP alliance promised to get J&K closer to India collapsed in the summer of 2018 with a dark warning that thecontinuation of the coalition could have run the national unity and integrity into grave risk.

The BJP that had chosen the PDP as an ally, compelled by the fractured mandate of the 2014 Assembly elections, on Tuesday announced its withdrawal of support to the Mehbooba Mufti-led state government, saying it had become untenable for it to continue with the alliance government.

The BJP was facing flak nationally when it was mocked for the failure of the Ramzan ceasefire. Instead of evoking any positive response, it resulted in the deterioration of situation when a prominent journalist was gunned down in broad daylight in the heart of Srinagar and a soldier was humiliated before being shot dead by militants.

The party felt that the PDP was becoming a hurdle in fighting terrorism as Mehbooba always sought a soft approach towards local militants and unequivocally condemned the killing of protesters. She not only admonished the security forces for complicating the situation but also got FIRs registered against them on a regular basis.

Her methods vis-à-vis the Army were seen more as pandering to the political constituency than taking a wholesome view of the situation. She thought that she would be able to face her constituents with her gesticulation and rhetoric of “taking FIRs against the security forces to their logical conclusion”.

The Home Minister had made his displeasure known when he shared with media that he had spoken to Chief Minister about the FIRs. These were firm indicators of the changing mood of the Centre that Mehbooba could not read in time.

The rival National Conference was publically averse to the PDP’s alliance with the BJP. The National Conference-Congress with their total strength of 27 in the House of 87 was incapable of providing an alternative.

The PDP also felt that the Centre would not venture to have its rule in the state because that would snatch the buffer of a political government and Delhi would not like to take criticism for the worsening of the already explosive situation in Kashmir.

Mehbooba could have quit the government on Sunday when the ceasefire was revoked and become a political martyr. But her political bastion south Kashmir had become a liability for her because of civilian killings and the parallel rule of militants there.