J&K Govt Formation: Will PDP’s Drabu, Naeem Akhtar lose their political clout?

Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP who is all set to become the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after the death of her father has not indicated anything clearly to the BJP as yet.

The speculation was only fuelled further by the visit of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari to Mehbooba’s residence minutes after the Congress president left the PDP leader’s residence.

Former chief ministers of the state – Omar Abdullah and Ghulam Nabi Azad – were among those who attended the funeral prayers which were led by Sayeed’s trusted aide, Education Minister Naeem Akhtar.

There have been indications lately that the saffron party would like to politically rework the terms of engagement with the PDP after the death of the state’s stalwart and charismatic CM, whose very presence brought some order to the scene.

“The party has said we want and we have written a letter to the Governor yesterday and told him that we will have a discussion on whatever decision the PDP takes”, he said.

However, speculations have been rife that Mehbooba Mufti had proposed some circumstances to Gadkari for heading the doubtless future PDP-BJP coalition authorities.

Kashmir state Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed (2nd L) inspects the guard of honour during the reopening of the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar 05 May 2003. She also met the other family members, including Begum Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, and expressed solidarity in their hour of grief.

“I do not think there is any need for talks (with BJP)”.

Baptized in the fire of Kashmir’s violent times, Mehbooba Mufti has proved her nerve by refusing to be sworn in before the traditional Islamic four-day period of her father’s mourning ends.

Sharma said it was a “historic” coalition between the BJP and the PDP in the state and “we would like it continue”.

Experts say that this combination won’t be manageable in Kashmir especially when you have two parties with different mood swings.

As the 2014 Assembly elections again threw up a hung verdict, Sayeed – whose PDP emerged as the single largest party – took over two months to stitch an alliance, this time with BJP, necessitating Governor’s RUle again.

Since the day former CM and PDP patron, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, breathed his last on January 07 in AIIMS, rumours have been making rounds that former coalition partners have put conditions before making a fresh start. However, grief-stricken Mehbooba didn’t take a call on the issue, paving the way for governor’s rule in the state. The BJP too will decide on the next course of action only after there are some signals from the PDP.