SRINAGAR: The coalition leader Peoples Democratic Party continues to remain guarded while its alliance partner BJP makes prickly noises regarding the real agenda of the coalition. On Monday when the central as well as the state leadership of BJP made it clear that the real agenda of the coalition government in J&K was to “integrate the state within Indian Union” the PDP maintained a conspicuous calm.
The party’s media cell appeared content in releasing a two-para statement on behalf of new entrant Mehboob Beg who in his memoir has reacted former RAW Chief A S Dulat’s controversial disclosures about separatists as well as mainstream leaders.
“PDP is a creation of Mufti Sahabs vision, skills and political wisdom. Any efforts to belittle or malign the Political Leadership of Jammu and Kashmir should not be taken lying down and the masses as well as the political parties across the board should unite and stand-up against it,” the statement quoted Mehboob Beg as said.
But the party chose to steer clear of Ram Madhav’s remarks in New Delhi or Dy CM Nirmal Singh’s assertions in Jammu.
Such seems the impact of over-assertion by Hindutva-minded BJP leadership the PDP’s social media handles have gone altogether defunct. The party’s twitter handle @jkpdp has not been updated since June 11 when it says “Tune into #DD’s Kashir Channel, just now. A must!! #NaeemAkhtar, Hon’ble Education Minister, JK govt, on the show!!”
Even the party’s self-effacing voice Nayeem Akhtar seems too guarded in his utterances. The party’s President Mehbooba Mufti’s twitter handle @mehboobaM has stopped buzzing on February 13 and @HaseebDrabu has had his last tweet on July 12. Even the youth leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra, who recently joined as advisor in CM secretariat has been mum.
Middle and lower-rung leaders in PDP have started asking questions to Muftis as to why the party was continuing when it was not able to move an inch. “Look we conceded to the idea of allying with BJP over certain counts. But nothing is coming through. Neither money nor politics. Is it too important to stick to the chair?,” asks a newly inducted party member from Khanyar. While Mufti plays smart by not reacting to BJP’s tweaks, his party cadre seems getting uncomfortable by the day. Analysts here believe Mufti might have a trump card yet his politics seems to get the severest beating first time since 2002, when he rode the anti-NC wave to become Chief Minister of the state first time his nearly half a century political career.
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