PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti meets Jammu-based party leaders

Mufti, accompanied by senior PDP leader and Member of Parliament Muzaffar Hussain Baig, met Governor NN Vohra and had a formal meeting over government formation.

She said if a government is to be formed, the Centre will have to take tangible measures to address the causes of alienation, trust and development deficit in Jammu and Kashmir and work towards finding a long-lasting solution to the problem plaguing the State for the past six decades.

It was her first visit to the party headquarters here since Mr Sayeed’s death on January 7. “We have to fight many forces and to handle the situation and deal with such forces, it is essential for the Central government to stand behind us”, said 56-year-old Mehbooba, who is tipped to take over as CM but has so far refused to take oath.

“Unfortunately instead of addressing the real challenges confronting J&K, Mufti Sahab’s government was kept busy in sorting-out various contentious issues repeatedly being raised by certain quarters in and outside the State”, she said.

Ghulam Nabi Azad, former state chief minister and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, said here on Wednesday that alliance partners PDP and Bharatiya Janata Party must quickly decide whether or not they want to form the government in the state.

Jammu and Kashmir could be heading for a longer spell of Governor’s rule. “However, only after PDP elects its new leader and informs the Governor about it, only then we will take any step”, he added.

“Despite having taken a huge political risk of going against the public sentiment in Kashmir by aligning with BJP, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was virtually made to run from the pillar to post by New Delhi to get even the constitutionally guaranteed funds for the development of the State”, she said.

“It is they who will have to explain”, he said. He had expectation from Modi government and entire country that we will work together to take J&K out of the troubles.

“It was a courtesy call”.

Giving some details about the meeting with Vohra, she said, “the Governor had invited us”.

The National Conference leader said until Ms Mufti declares the charter of her demands, PDP’s current “posturing” amounted to precious little and was nothing beyond a “theatrical performance aimed at rebuilding a severely dented image”. “I have discussed it with the Governor sahab also that this is what our party has to say”. “I neither have the vision nor goodwill my father had, but I respect his vision”, she added.