New Delhi:An open revolt from senior members and MLAs may be creating conditions of a coup in PDP. Members of the rebel camp are not averse to pushing the momentum against Mehbooba Mufti and taking over the party. Though the rebel MLAs don’t want to comment on whether all these machinations are being done to support a particular party and assume power in the state.
At the same time, leaders close to Mehbooba Mufti say that they are not very worried over the brewing crisis within the party and that the top party leadership is unlikely to issue a statement or call an emergency meeting of the party.
“We are trying to save our own house. Our house is in disorder. The fact that PDP has been in disarray shouldn’t be news to anyone," said one of the rebel MLAs Abid Ansari.
He added, “We held a meeting with Mehbooba Mufti one-and-a-half months ago, well before BJP pulled the plug on the government, and tried to explain to her the public anger against us. We told her that her nepotism is running our party down into the ground. But she didn’t listen."
Ansari was the first PDP MLA to openly speak out against Mehbooba and accuse her of nepotism. He is an MLA from Zadibal constituency in Hazratbal, and the uncle of another rebel MLA Imran Ansari an influential Shia cleric.
When asked about how he viewed the uncertain future of his party, Ansari said, “So far only a few MLAs have spoken. Let's see how many more speak out. Our assessment is that all the party members and MLAs will speak out. In such a case nothing stops us from taking over the party."
When asked to give a timeline, Ansari said, “Everyone is now in their own constituency thinking over the issue. People are trying to persuade each other. The situation is very fluid right now. In a week or fortnight, we should have a clearer picture."
Another rebel MLA who has not yet spoken out but privately admits to have switched over to the rebel camp said, “Yes there is dissent. All the rebels haven’t spoken out yet but the number of those who feel dissatisfied is substantial. Some of us are taking more time to decide. Talks are going on at several levels, let’s see."
The senior party leadership may be quite shaken over the developments that have unfolded in Kashmir since Sunday when Ansari first launched an attack against his party’s leadership, but isn’t showing any signs of stress yet.
A party leader close to Mehbooba said, “We are just observing the situation. Whoever wants to go can is most welcomed to leave. We are not going to persuade anyone to either stay or leave. Let us see who is in it to grab power and who is in it for the party. We don’t feel a need to make public statements or call emergency party meet right now."
On July 3, former deputy Chief Minister of the state and a senior BJP leader, Kavinder Gupta, told News18 that that “dissatisfied MLAs" from various parties are likely to come together in the coming days and form a BJP leaning front.
"In the coming days, I see dissatisfied MLAs not just from PDP, but also from Congress and National Conference, are likely to join forces and form a new front," Gupta told News18.
Gupta's statements come after speculation that Sajjad Lone, with whom BJP general secretary and party in-charge of J&K Ram Madhav met on June 27, was to head such a front.
Comments
0 comment