Early Times Report
srinagar, Nov 13: In a bid to further alienate PDP's senior leader and Member Parliament Tariq Hamid Karra from the party leadership, some of his party colleagues, who are ministers in the cabinet, are lobbying to seek action against him for skipping Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally in Srinagar on November 7.
Even though the government had itself reportedly deleted name of Karra from the list of invitees for Modi's rally, insiders said at least three PDP ministers, who are new to politics, are lobbing that their coalition partner BJP expresses dismay before Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed for Karra's "rebellious attitude".
The group of PDP ministers is conspiring that BJP should pick up the issue during the next cabinet meeting to be chaired by Mufti later this week. "The game plan is that the BJP should formally ask Chief Minister and also shoot letter to the PDP president Mehbooba Mufti asking them to explain their stand for his (Karra's) rebellious attitude when Prime Minister was in the Valley," said the party insiders, adding that the trio is lobbying in New Delhi and also through Deputy Chief Minister Dr Nirmal Singh to demand action against Karra.
"The three ministers believe that this way, the cold war between Karra and the PDP leadership would become public and Karra would have to take a final call on adhering to the party policies or quitting," explained a party leader who requested not to be named. He said this way Karra, who has taken a stiff stand against the BJP, would be forced to decide on whether he wants to remain in the party or not. This presumably serves the interests of the three ministers who are often criticized for their lack of political exposure. "By distancing Karra from PDP they want to grab the position and respect which he has gained in the party over the years," the leader said.
Interestingly, the three ministers don't want another PDP MP, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, to be dragged into the controversy though he too stayed away from Modi's rally. "This has two reasons. One, that Karra was the MP of the constituency that hosted PM's rally. Two, that Beigh and Kara are being tackled individually so that they don't unite as one voice which can put the PDP to inconvenience," said the leader.
Many in PDP believe that the group of three ministers, who poke their nose in all the party affairs despite their inexperience, is proving disastrous for the party and that Mehbooba must personally look into the matter before it is too late.
"Basically it was these three ministers used a group of officers who are known for leaking information to the media to create distrust between our stalwarts like Karra, Beigh and the party high command. Instead of feeling sorry for their mischief they want to take this conspiracy to next level by inciting BJP against Karra," said a party loyalist.
On November 7, Beigh and Karra stayed away from Modi's rally, leaving the party leadership red-faced before the visiting dignitaries.
As per protocol, it was mandatory for Karra, the MP of the host constituency Srinagar, to remain present at the PM's rally. |
