Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 8: Rocked by the rebellion with six legislators coming out openly against the party leadership, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) today initiated the exercise to keep the remaining flock together with 17 MLAs meeting party president and former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti including those, who were part of her Council of Ministry at her Gupkar Road Residence in Srinagar and pledging their support to the party leadership at this critical juncture. Click here watch video
However, at the same time, PDP MLA from Rajouri, Choudhary Qamar said the party workers had high expectations from the leadership including those who were in Cabinet and that they have genuine grievances which were not addressed. Though Choudhary Qamar didn’t target Mehbooba Mufti, like other party rebels, he said the party workers have definite grievances from the party leadership and those, who were in the Cabinet.
Of three MLAs the PDP has in entire Jammu region, Choudhary Qamar is the first one to speak against the party leadership albeit without naming anyone including Mehbooba Mufti.
Describing grievances of the party workers as “genuine”, Qamar, a first time MLA from Rajouri Main Assembly segment, said their issues were not addressed by the senior leaders including those who were sitting in the Cabinet.
The PDP has only three MLAs from Jammu region and all of them come from twin border districts of Rajouri and Poonch. They included Choudhary Zulfkar, MLA Darhal and former Minister, Choudhary Qamar, MLA Rajouri and Shah Mohammad Tantray, MLA Poonch. Rest of 25 PDP MLAs hailed from the Kashmir valley. All PDP MLAs, who have revolted against the party leadership so far belonged to Kashmir.
After return from New Delhi yesterday, Mehbooba met some senior party leaders including the party office bearers after which the MLAs met her in groups and individually but there was no joint meeting. The MLAs pledged their support to Mehbooba and said they fully stand with the party at a time when some MLAs have raised banner of revolt against her within days of her exit from the power.
While Choudhary Zulfkar was the first MLA to meet Mehbooba Mufti on her return from New Delhi, prominent among those, who called on the PDP president included Abdul Rehman Veeri, Raja Manzoor, Yawar Dilawar Mir, Aijaz Ahmad, Farooq Andrabi, Mohammad Yousaf Bhat, Zahoor Mir, Ashraf Mir, Basharat Bukhari and Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjoora.
Party insiders said that Abdul Haq Khan, former Rural Development Minister, who was removed from the Council of Ministry in April this year, was not in Srinagar but he rang up Mehbooba from Jaipur and assured his support to her. Former Finance Minister, Dr Haseeb Drabu, who was also removed from the Ministry in March this year, is expected to reach Srinagar on July 10 but is said to have called Mehbooba and extended full support to her at this crucial juncture.
“Most of the MLAs, who met Mehbooba Mufti, offered to submit their resignations from the Assembly to end all speculations about their defections,” the insiders said but added that the Chief Minister expressed full faith on them and told them not to take extreme step of resigning from the Assembly.
Sources said the statement by BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta that the BJP could former Government with the PDP rebels hasn’t gone well with the PDP, the erstwhile coalition partners of the BJP, and with the BJP leaders. BJP national general secretary and pointman on Jammu and Kashmir, Ram Madhav had yesterday made it clear that the BJP wasn’t behind defections in the PDP and that it wants the Governor’s rule to continue.
A senior PDP MLA and former Minister confirmed to the Excelsior that 17 MLAs met the PDP president and former Chief Minister individually and in the groups to extend their support to the party leadership.
Sources said the PDP could call its Legislature Party meeting shortly to discuss revolt by some of the MLAs and future roadmap for the party.
It may be mentioned here that six PDP legislators including Imran Raza Ansari, former Minister and MLA Pattan, Baramulla, Abid Ansari, MLA Zadibal, Mohammad Abbas, MLA Tangmarg, Javed Beig, MLA Baramulla, Abdul Majid Paddar, MLA Noorabad and Yasir Reshi, MLC have raised banner of revolt against the party leadership in the last few days.
Reacting to today’s developments of PDP MLAs meeting Mehbooba Mufti, National Conference vice president and former Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah tweeted: “So where is that 3rd front that the Kashmir experts were saying is just around the corner going to come from”?
The BJP had withdrawn support to Mehbooba Mufti-led coalition Government on June 19 leading to imposition of Governor’s rule in the State.
Follow our WhatsApp channel