 Early Times Report
Jammu, June 4: In a significant political development, former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday—her first such interaction since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The meeting, followed by a rare positive statement from her daughter and PDP leader Iltija Mufti regarding the upcoming inauguration of the Kashmir rail link, has sparked a wave of discussion in political circles across Jammu and Kashmir.
While Mehbooba Mufti had long avoided engagement with the administration post-Article 370 revocation and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories, her decision to meet the LG marks a notable shift. During the meeting, she submitted a memorandum outlining key concerns and demands.
Adding to the buzz, Iltija Mufti—usually a vocal critic of the Union Government—termed the railway project linking Kashmir to the rest of the country as a “welcome step.” Speaking to the media, she said,
“It's a Mehbooba Mufti had long avoided engagement with the administration post-Article 370 revocation and the bifurcation of the erstwhile state into two Union Territories.
Her decision to meet the LG marks a notable shift. During the meeting, she submitted a memorandum outlining key concerns and demands.
The meeting was followed by a rare positive statement from her daughter and PDP leader Iltija Mufti regarding the upcoming inauguration of the Kashmir rail link.
Usually a vocal critic of the Union Government ttermed the railway project linking Kashmir to the rest of the country as a “welcome step”.
However, she also raised concerns about operational challenges, citing passenger inconvenience due to long delays and security checks.
“The railway line being inaugurated may be inconvenient for passengers, particularly at Katra, where they reportedly face security checks and delays of 2-3 hours. These issues should be addressed,” she added.
This shift in tone from the PDP comes in stark contrast to the party’s earlier stance. Notably, in 2019, the PDP expelled its Rajya Sabha member Nazir Ahmed Laway for attending the swearing-in ceremony of the first Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Girish Chandra Murmu.
The meeting and statements have ignited speculation about possible political repositioning within the PDP ahead of anticipated political developments in the Union Territory. | 