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| Why Mehbooba as Chief Minister? | | |  Syed Junaid Hashmi
Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 8: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti's probable taking over as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir has already made too much noise in all the political spheres of the state.
If what is being heard loud and clear, opposition National Conference (NC) is missing no opportunity in using its channels of influence in BJP to convince the party not let Mufti Mohammed Sayeed pass on the mantle to his daughter. Word has been spread far and wide about BJP being averse to the idea of Mehbooba Mufti being handed over reigns of powers in the state.
To substantiate this wild belief, Ram Madhav's not so secret visit to Jammu recently is being quoted and it is being said that the BJP General Secretary, considered brain behind the alliance, has bluntly told someone in PDP not to even think of any such adventure. However, if BJP top brass in New Delhi especially those who have access to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, president of the party Amit Shah, Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat are to be believed, Mehbooba's taking over as CM is not being seen as a major earth-shaking event.
They have given enough indications of not being averse to Mufti Sayeed asking his daughter to step-in and take over. If those with access to power corridors in New Delhi are to be believed, Prime Minister Modi is keen to have younger and brighter face in J&K, some delay is likely to be seen in this crowning ceremony which is otherwise also going to take place anytime in 2016.
State BJP has already conveyed its opinion to the BJP top brass but it's the word of Prime Minister Modi which is likely to make all the difference. He knows well that it is Mehbooba Mufti whose word matters in Kashmir valley. Intelligence agencies and other sources in the state have conveyed New Delhi about Mehbooba's connect with people in Kashmir valley.
Mufti gave PDP the much needed political experience but Mehbooba took the party to heights of success. Though she has earned enemies within the party for her stubborn nature but with shrewd Mufti Mohammed Sayeed around, she has managed to keep the flock together. Of late, the two MPs Tariq Hameed Qarra and Muzaffar Hussain Beg did make some noise but have been silenced by the father-daughter duo with their political acumen.
Modi knows well that Mehbooba would speak to the constituency he has been trying to make friends with while Mufti Mohammed Sayeed would ensure that the coalition remains intact with his wisdom and understanding of both the regions of the state. Though not much can be made out about the Health of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, which is being described as the main reason for him choosing to give the Chair to Mehbooba but he would like to see her taking over when he is around and when he guide her well.
Mufti would want Mehbooba to take over within the first six months of the next year since there is talk of Prime Minister Modi offering a vibrant political package to PDP-BJP government in Jammu and Kashmir on the eve of Republic Day or any day thereafter. Mufti would want to see Mehbooba on chair so that Kashmir credits his daughter with having fulfilled the promises she made to them during the elections campaign.
Partial revocation of AFSPA from some parts of the state would be a great morale booster for Mehbooba to begin the new inning as Chief Minister of J&K. This would go well with her image of being a pro-Kashmir leader who minces no word while making statements on various issues concerning the state. The talk of PDP having sold Kashmir to RSS and BJP would stem with this development. There is a wide section in PDP which believes that even if no such political package is announced, only taking over of Mehbooba would make a lot of difference.
Kashmir believes that it is Mehbooba who brought Mufti back from political be-wilderness and ensured that he is crowned as Chief Minister of J&K. She preferred being in New Delhi and aiding his father wherever he required it. Mehbooba not even once both in 2002 and 2015 talked of being crowned the CM of the state since it was she whose words made all the difference in Kashmir and PDP returned with power after having given-up the same in 2008.
Even today when NC has been talking of returning to power with big bang if elections are held today, it is widely believed that Mehbooba Mufti alone has the prowess to change the discourse in Kashmir valley and other areas where PDP is facing some trouble for having aligned with BJP. She has the power to interact with her constituency in the language which it understands.
Overall, her taking over would give a new lease of life to PDP. As far as BJP is concerned, Prime Minister Modi knows that in the areas, where the party has won, public image makes all the difference. None is worried about deceit or betrayal but they want their work to be done at any cost. He knows well that if the MLAs, MLCs and MPs perform, they are likely to make a comeback without even worrying about what PDP does in Kashmir.
It is well known that after the infamous Amarnath Land Agitation, Congress romped back to power in J&K solely because of the performance of its MLAs. BJP did get 11 seats but failed to make much of an impact despite political pundits making all kind of predictions. Even in the last assembly elections held in J&K, it was corruption of Congress ministers which led to the drubbing of the party. There is no doubt, Prime Minister Modi's campaign also made a lot of difference but primarily, it was corruption that led to Congress humiliation.
Prime Minister knows all these facts well and understands that Mehbooba Mufti would be a young shoulder for him to trust and Mufti Mohammed Sayeed would become a bridge between New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir. It is because of this reason that New Delhi is not worried about Mehbooba Mufti taking over as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. It understands that Mehbooba would be strict disciplinarian like his father and completely intolerable to corruption.
They know Mehbooba would not mind tossing a few officers here and there besides showing door to the inefficient ones. They know Mehbooba would be tough on human rights issues and would make no bones while dealing with Army and other security establishments in the state over this. They also know that Mehbooba would the lone female Muslim Chief Minister, partnering BJP in J&K. Her appeal across the country is slightly more than that of her father. It is widely being said in New Delhi that Prime Minister Modi knows well whom he is trusting in J&K and why? |
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