Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Jan 10: In an emotional choked meeting where several leaders including PDP president Mehbooba Mufti herself broke down repeatedly, the PDP senior party leaders including the legislators declared that she was “undisputed and uncontested’’ leader of the party and was authorized to take any decision for next course of action including formation of new Government in the State.
Emotional scenes were witnessed as Mehbooba Mufti made her first appearance in the party meeting at her Fair View residence in Srinagar this evening after the death of her father and Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, whose ‘congregational fateha’ was performed in the afternoon.
Not only Mehbooba but several party leaders broke down during the meeting and wept profusely as Ms Mufti, in her address to gathering of senior PDP leaders, personal staff and security officers of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, referred repeatedly to the role of her father in building the party and taking it to heights. She also spoke about vision of Mufti Sayeed for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Party insiders told the Excelsior that all party leaders including legislators, though it was not a formal Legislature Party meeting, unanimously declared Mehbooba Mufti as their “undisputed and uncontested’’ leader and authorized her to take future course of action including formation of new Government in the State.
“All senior party leaders including legislators declared Mehbooba Mufti, who also happens to be the PDP president, as their new undisputed leader. Though it was not the formal Legislature Party meeting, the decision of PDP leaders was clear indication that she has been unofficially elected as PDP Legislature Party leader and would be next Chief Minister of the State,’’ party leaders said, adding that the Legislature Party meeting can meet anytime depending on the situation to formally elect Mehbooba as new leader of the party to lead next Government in the State.
PDP with 27 MLAs is single largest party in the Legislative Assembly.
The senior party leaders declared that Mehbooba Mufti would lead the party and carry forward the legacy of Mufti Sayeed.
“She (Mehbooba Mufti) should lead the party and carry forward legacy of Mufti Sayeed. There is lot of responsibility now on the shoulders of Mehbooba Ji and we hope she would fulfill the hopes the people of the State had pinned on her,’’ the party leaders said.
In her address to the party leaders, the first after the death of Mufti Sayeed, Mehbooba Mufti described her father as her mentor, guide and everything and turned emotional before breaking down and weeping profusely. Several other senior party leaders also broke down and wept, leading to highly emotional scenes in the meeting as all of them were inconsolable.
As the things settled down, Mehbooba thanked each and every leader of the party, personal staff of the Chief Minister and security officers for standing by her and other party members in the time of grief.
Mehbooba told the party leaders that it not she alone, who can do everything, and it would be joint responsibility of entire party to take decisions in future and make it progress further.
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