On Friday PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti garlanded Vikramaditya, the elder son of Karan Singh and welcomed him into the party fold and claimed to have come another step closer to the hearts of people in Jammu region.
The entry of Maharaja Hari Singh’s grandson into PDP has already created a buzz in the political circles as the PDP is aiming to improve its seat tally in the Jammu region in the coming Assembly polls scheduled for November 2014.Before taking the plunge, Vikramaditya is learnt to have sought blessings of his father and veteran Congress leader Karan Singh. Vikramaditya’s younger brother is currently a National Conference MlC in the State legislature.
The PDP top brass is making lot of efforts to rope in credible leaders in to the party fold to brighten its chances and fill the void created by the poor performance of the Omar Abdullah-led alliance Government in the State.The highlight of the joining ceremony was presence of PDP workers donning traditional Dogra turbans in ‘saffron’ and Gulabi shades.
Even posters of PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed wearing saffron Dogra pagdi, holding a sword greeted party workers at the venue. Responding to the political development, a seasoned political commentator said, “The picture of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed clad in Dogra pagdi gives me a feeling that in his second innings former Chief Minister is planning to implement his ‘healing touch’ policy by holding a sword in his hand to cut his political adversaries to size”.
Previously, routine functions of the PDP in Jammu region saw prominent leaders of the Gujjar community occupying front row seats donning white coloured traditional headgear pagdis. None of the leaders present in the ceremony were seen wearing traditional turbans.Addressing the function to welcome Vikramaditya in the party, Mufti Mohd Sayeed said he was extremely delighted with this joining.
“It is not a routine joining function. Today’s development is going to change political discourse of the State because this event would be a turning point in cementing relations between Jammu and Kashmir regions”, Mufti asked Vikramaditya to play an important to change history of J&K.