Mehbooba Mufti is all set to take her father’s position at the helm. Though an experienced leader, she will face challenges
If everything goes as planned, Jammu & Kashmir may soon have its first woman Chief Minister. Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed has made it clear that he wants to yield place to his daughter Mehbooba Mufti. Now, the change is just a question of time. It is speculated that Ms Mufti may take charge by January next year, if not sooner.
It is known that Mr Sayeed is not keeping good health and wants to hand over the baton to his daughter. Only recently he said, “She is mature enough to handle responsibilities. It is a democracy. She works more than I do in addressing problems of the people on the ground.”
Ms Mufti has been in politics for more than two decades and prepared her base by reaching out to various groups, including militants. This has given the impression that she is soft on the militants.
After assuming charge as the president of the Peoples Democratic Party in 2003, she negotiated for the party when it formed a coalition Government with the Congress in 2002. Again, it was she who negotiated with the BJP this year to ensure a full-term in power for her party.
Unlike other succession battles, Ms Mufti’s advantage is her identity as a grassroots politician. She is a leader in her own right and not just Mr Sayeed’s daughter. At a time when legislators were afraid to move freely even in the secure pockets of Jammu & Kashmir, Ms Mufti fearlessly travelled to the interiors that were affected by militancy. This helped her tap into the political space and project the PDP as a mainstream alternative. This strategy has paid off.
Ms Mufti came into the limelight in 1996 after winning the Bijbehara Assembly seat on a Congress ticket. She was also chosen as the leader of Opposition in the Assembly, where she took on the Farooq Abdullah Government.
However, both father and daughter left the Congress, to launch the PDP, in 1999, amidst speculations that the split had the blessings of then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Ms Mufti had been an MlA, an MP and a leader of Opposition in the State Assembly. Presently, she is an MP from the Anantnag-Pulwama constituency.
However, Ms Mufti must take some measures in order to do away the hurdles that she may face in her elevation. The first will be to build consensus within the party. Although she has many supporters, two MPs Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tariq Hameed Karra and two MlAs from the PDP have publicly spoken out against the PDP’s alliance with the BJP and also against Ms Mufti’s elevation. However, Mr Sayeed is confident of overcoming this hurdle.
The second is that the PDP’s coalition partner, the BJP, has to come on board. The BJP has some reservations about Ms Mufti although it has had no problems working with her father. Also, there are indications that the BJP is likely to demand more ministerial berths and insist on a re-look at the power-sharing agreement.
The third is that there are rumours that the Centre is not yet sure if Ms Mufti is the right person intelligence agencies are hesitant about her, as she is known for her softness towards the separatists.
Once in the saddle, Ms Mufti will face many challenges yet again. The first will be to steer the Government smoothly. Given that Ms Mufti is not as flexible as her father, the real challenge for her will be to manage the different ideological worlds of the PDP and the BJP. Any leaning towards either side may lead to grave implications for her and her party.
Second, the PDP is not in good shape. Ms Mufti might have to scout for talent in her party as it is essential that the Cabinet has some experienced Ministers. There are some who believe that even the present Cabinet does not boast of much talent. The BJP is bound to use these internal bickerings to its advantage.
Third, there is the great responsibility of delivering governance. The previous experiment of the PDP with the Congress in 2002 was a disaster and the people are expecting better this time. In this regard, the Rs80,000 crore package announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be an advantage for the State Government. With a new generation taking charge, Ms Mufti must use the opportunity to grow further, amid tough challenges.