Lauds Centre’s initiatives on J&K
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, Dec 2: Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti was today re-elected as People’s Democratic Party (PDP) president for sixth consecutive term for a period of three years unanimously. Soon after the election, she declared that the PDP was committed to address all issues in Jammu and Kashmir with the help of Central Government and that amnesty to youths was only the beginning and more Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) would follow soon.
Insiders in the party told the Excelsior that all over 300 plus members of the Electoral College for the PDP president’s election including Ministers, legislators, office bearers, district and zonal presidents were present at official residence of Mehbooba for the election.
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After completing all Constitutional formalities, Parliamentary Affairs and Revenue Minister Abdul Rehman Veeri, who was Returning Officer for the election and Thakur Fallail Singh, Election Observer declared Mehbooba elected for sixth term unopposed as there was no other leader in the fray.
Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu proposed name of Mehbooba for the post of the PDP president, which was seconded by Tarlok Singh Bajwa, veteran party leader and former Rajya Sabha member, which was endorsed by the entire Electoral College with loud cheers and clapping. Insiders said veteran party leader and lone Lok Sabha member of the PDP from Baramulla, Muzaffar Hussain Baig was scheduled to propose name of Mehbooba for the party president but he reached the venue late as he had gone for medical consultations. On return, Baig addressed the Electoral College for about half an hour.
This was for the sixth time in a row since 2003 when Mehbooba Mufti would head the PDP.
After being floated in 1999, former Chief Minister and Mehbooba’s father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was elected as the first PDP president. However, after Mufti Sayeed became the Chief Minister heading PDP-Congress coalition Government in November 2002, Mehbooba took over command of the PDP in 2003 and continued as the party chief since then, playing major role in the State politics.
Mehbooba got the distinction of being first woman Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir as head of the PDP-BJP coalition Government on April 4, 2016.
She thanked party leaders for “reposing their trust and electing me as their president”.
“Will work tirelessly to fulfill our shared vision of development, inclusiveness and reconciliation in J&K,” she wrote on Twitter.
A Law Graduate, 57-year-old Mehbooba took the plunge into mainstream politics of the State in 1996 by joining the Congress at a time when militancy was at its peak.
The party’s Twitter handle posted, “From grassroots politics to emergence as a beacon of hope for young & dis-empowered, your dynamism & all inclusive politics have set new benchmarks & changed the course of polity in subcontinent. May your leadership continue to steer us to newer heights.”
In her address to members of the Electoral College after her unanimous re-election as the PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti said the PDP-BJP coalition Government was firmly in place and it was committed to implement ‘Agenda of Alliance’ for betterment of the people of the State with help of the Centre Government.
Lauding the Centre Government headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for appointment of Dineshwar Sharma as Special Representative on Jammu and Kashmir, Mehbooba noted that she was the first Interlocutor, who has been going to doorsteps of the people to listen to their problems and grievances and address them.
Asserting that Sharma was first Interlocutor, whose appointment has been made by a Presidential order and that he also enjoyed rank of the Cabinet Secretary, the Chief Minister said the Centre Government has taken some “bold decisions” on recommendations of the Interlocutor and expressed hope that more CBMs would follow soon.
She described withdrawal of First Information Reports (FIRs) against around 4500 first-time stone-pelters as “only a beginning” saying more CBMs would be taken to restore peace and normalcy in the Valley.
“The PDP is here to stay in the political arena for a long innings. Within three years of formation, the PDP had ended rule of Abdullahs in Jammu and Kashmir. Such was impact of the PDP that not even a single member of Abdullah family could reach the Assembly in 2002 elections,” she said and declared that the PDP not only gave an alternative to the people of Jammu and Kashmir but became a force to reckon with by emerging single largest party in 2014 Assembly elections.
Invoking Mahatma Gandhi’s decision to shun everything to wear ‘dhoti’ (Loincloth) at historic September 22, 1921 convention at Madurai, Mehbooba said his father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed gave up several top positions at the national level to float the PDP in 1999 to serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir and added that his efforts brought results when the PDP assumed power in the State within three years of its formation.
Describing Mufti Sayeed’s rule between 2002-2005 as “golden period of Jammu and Kashmir”, she said the politics took a complete U-turn in the State during that tenure and many CBMs were taken like opening of cross-LoC routes, development initiatives etc.
She described the party as “supreme” and told the party leaders that they were in the power because of the party.
“If party flourished, the Government survived. If the party faced reverses, there is no Government,” she said and called upon the party Ministers, MLAs, MLCs, office bearers and all other senior functionaries to devote adequate time to the party to strengthen it.
Mehbooba said the PDP has no double-standards like the National Conference, which was one of the major reasons for its rise.
“We speak one language in Jammu and Kashmir, New Delhi and everywhere. Some other parties speak one language here and another in the Union capital. We will continue to follow our ideologies and policies which have clear vision,” the PDP president said.
Justifying PDP’s alliance with the BJP despite the two parties having different opinions on certain issues, Mehbooba said there was no other alternative before the PDP but to go with the BJP in view of massive mandate given to latter by the people of Jammu region.
“We had to honour the people’s verdict. And we did that. Our alliance is now working well. People are witnessing development works. Their voice is being heard. Their issues are being addressed,” she said.
Mehbooba called upon the party cadre to brace up for Panchayat elections to strengthen the PDP at grass root level.
Senior PDP leaders also addressed the gathering.
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