The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called a crucial meeting of its legislators and senior leaders on Sunday to discuss issues related to Government formation in the wake of former Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s demise.
This is the first formal meeting of the party since Mufti’s demise that led to the collapse of coalition Government as alliance partners — the PDP and the BJP — did not introduce Mufti’s substitute in stipulated time.
Initially Mufti’s daughter and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti was understood to step into her father’s shoes immediately but she refused to take oath while in mourning. However, a week after Mufti’s death, the party expressed reservations in continuation of alliance with the BJP unless it reviewed the performance and gains of the ten months of the unprecedented tie-up.
The reluctance on part of the PDP also showed up fissures within the party. A senior leader and lok Sabha member from Srinagar Tariq Hameed Qarra advised Mehbooba Mufti against renewing tie-up with BJP saying that the alliance has been detrimental to the interests of Kashmiris. Qarra said that BJP and RSS were strengthening their roots in Kashmir as a consequence of the alliance. Qarra even suggested to tie-up with secular parties led by the Congress.
Even as PDP spokesman Mehboob Beg without specifying ant timeframe said that the PBP-BJP tie-up will be revived after Mehbooba returns to proper frame of mind, another senior leader and former Education Minister Naeem Akhtar hinted that re-entering into alliance would be subject to review of the alliance under late Mufti. He said the Agenda of Alliance framed by the two parties was not a document to be kept in cupboard but a roadmap to be implemented on the ground.
Some PDP leaders observe that the tie-up with BJP has done more harm to the party than good. Independent legislator Engineer Rashid also urged the PDP leadership to end the relationship with BJP. In a statement Rashid said that it was the most opportune time to bid adieu to the alliance that has encouraged communal politics in the Muslim majority State.
Interestingly, the BJP maintained that it had no issues with renewal of tie-up with the BJP and elevation of Mehbooba Mufti to the top seat. The BJP leadership said the initiative has to be taken by the PDP to call for the support to form the next government. Technically, the PDP has to seek the support from its alliance partner before staking claim for the formation of Government.
Sources said PDP wants assurance from the BJP’s top leadership especially from the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on pacing up development in the region. The Central Government, on its part, sent a top bureaucrat from the Expenditures department, to convince Mufti that the economic package announced by the PM in November last in Srinagar was being pursued expeditiously.