Early Times Report
Srinagar, Jan 21 : The crucial meeting over government formation, called by the Peoples Democratic Party at the residence of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, here on January 17, has drawn flak as many of the "old guards" feel that the party ignored their opinion as they were kept away from the Fairview meet.
Resentment is brewing among the party cadres, including legislatures who believe that the "viewpoint of loyalists was ignored" whereas those new to politics and "immature in decision-making were considered."
To discuss the future of the alliance with the BJP, the PDP had called a high-level meeting of top-20 party leaders including 10 former cabinet ministers, two Members of Parliament, three General Secretaries and Political Advisor, at the Fairview residence of the PDP President.
Those invited included 10 former cabinet ministers Abdul Rehman Veeri, Javaid Mustafa Mir, Abdul Haq Khan, Syed Basharat Bukhari, Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali, Haseeb Ahmad Drabu, Ghulam Nabi Lone, Syed Altaf Bukhari, Imran Raza Ansari, Naeem Akhtar, two Members of Parliament, Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tariq Hameed Karra, three General Secretaries Rafi Ahmad Mir, Nizamuddin Bhat and Ved Mahajan, senior leaders Sartaj Madani, Dilawar Mir, Vikramadatya Singh, Trilokh Singh Bajwa, Mehboob Beg and PDP President's Political Advisor, Peerzada Mansoor. Though Mehbooba held separate meeting with the party legislatures, many of them kept away from the "T 20".
The party insiders said some of the veterans were outright ignored. They said the party leaders who have been many time MLAs and even defeated the "big guns from rival parties during the previous Assembly elections were kept away from the decision making."
Citing example they said Muhammad Yusuf Bhat a popular figure and MLA from Shopian was not invited while same held true for Mushtaq Ahmed Shah who won the elections twice from Tral. "Similarly Zahoor Ahmed Mir who is a three-time MLA was dropped from the list of invitees while Abdul Rahim Rather of Kokernag who defeated veteran Congressman Pirzada Muhammad Sayed was also not invited," the PDP leaders said.
On the other hand Abbas Wani of Tangmarg, who defeated political stalwart Ghulam Hassan Mir, was also kept away from the T-20 meeting. "Such leaders feel shy before the people who voted them to power as they are ridiculed by the people why didn't the party seek their opinion over new government formation," the insiders privy to the complaints said.
The sources said these leaders feel dejected and demoralized even as they put blame on some "black sheep" including a defeated PDP candidate from south Kashmir for having intrigued to keep them away from the decision- making body.
"This is against the essence of democratic setup. He and other blacksheep are trying to be the extra constitutional authority.
But in reality they are the most hated person in the eyes of administration and the party cadres alike," said a party leader pleading anonymity. Sources said some of the party leaders have decided to handover a memorandum of their displeasure before the party high command.
"Basically they want action against the blacksheep who create wedge within the party cadres and thereby destabilize the party," the party sources said. |
