Hyder Ali
Early Times Report
srinagar, Apr 6: Even as discord is visible in the rank and file of PDP, the role of some defeated MLAs has come under scanner.
Highly placed sources said the defeated MLAs of PDP, around ten, including their "ring-leader", who hails from south Kashmir, had been against the continuation of alliance with the rightwing BJP, since Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's death on January 7.
The sources said the coterie of defeated MLAs including had found an opportunity of re-elections in Mufti's demise and thus lobbied to break the ties. "Their sole motive was to get a chance to win back their seats and thus instead of looking at the collective interests of the party, they had been lobbying against any patch-up," said a senior PDP leader, asking not to be identified.
It is understood that for the past three months, these leaders had been lobbying at grassroots to spread a message that "alliance with BJP was against the interests of people of Kashmir."
Insiders said this coterie was feeling alienated since the day some of the fresh faces emerged victorious and were subsequently inducted into the Council of Ministers, whereas the old guards stood helpless for having lost the elections. "Such people were feeling insecure as their voice had not many takers," said a PDP cadre from Anantnag district. On the other hand first timers who had made to debut to the Assembly wanted to continue alliance with BJP.
These new faces pleaded that should the party snap the ties with BJP it would be disastrous to go for fresh elections as the people were already distanced from the party and anti-incumbency factor would weigh in favor of the rivals including NC.
"By continuing alliance, there were chances for improving the party prospects by delivering. We can take some populist measures like withdrawing NFSA, introduce some new employment schemes, make overseas employment corporation effective, provide corruption free and a responsive administration. We can make many more amends to improve the party's image and above all prove the late CM Mufti's decision as right by having expeditious implementation of the agenda of alliance," said a PPD leader.
In 2014-Assembly elections, some of the veteran faces of PDP lost the elections particularly on party's home turf of south Kashmir.
Sources said strategic-lobbying against the alliance resulted in hatred against the voices who were "genuinely" in support of the second innings.
Finally this all ended up in major distrust within the party cadres, who started leveling allegation against each other. Leave apart the lower ranks, the top brass like Tariq Hameed Karra and Altaf Bukhari publicly leveled charges against each other.
In the last Assembly elections for 87 seats of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, PDP had emerged as the single largest party winning 28 seats in the four-cornered contest. However, BJP could not achieve its 'Mission 44+' and was second in the tally with 25 seats.
While NC which had retained 28 seats in 2008 Assembly elections could retain just 15 seats, Congress party was placed a distant fourth with 12 seats. With no party getting a clear majority, PDP and BJP joined hand hands. |
