Mehbooba Mufti breaks down at lawmakers’ meet, remains silent on taking over

In a meeting that is being seen as politically significant, Congress President Sonia Gandhi today visited PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti here to offer condolences on the demise of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

The meetings took place even as BJP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Nirmal Singh expressed confidence that the alliance with PDP will continue as he said the party has written to Governor N N Vohra saying it will have a discussion on whatever decision the the ally takes.

Baig said that neither PDP nor BJP has set any preconditions for the formation of the government.

Analysts say that when the PDP and BJP forged an alliance with Mufti Sayeed at the helm of affairs, the latter had the upper hand on the negotiation table.

In the season of Chilla-i-Kalan – the 40 harshest days of the Kashmir winter when the snow strips the trees down to their bare barks and the water on the Dal freezes over – political uncertainty has generated an odd kind of unseasonal heat.

The visit of senior Congress leaders including AICC president Sonia Gandhi to Mehbooba’s residence yesterday had fuelled speculation that moves might be afoot for weaning the PDP away from BJP to form an alternative government. “She (Mehbooba Mufti) is in mourning right now”, he said. “We have to honour of our leader”, said Baig. Besides being a Congress man, his political status in the country and the state, Mufti Sahab and his family have personal relations with Sonia ji.

“The terms of alliance already worked out will continue to govern the relationship between the two parties in the next government”, he asserted. He further said that he had met the late CM around a month ago and had a conversation on industrial development of Jammu and Kashmir.

Meanwhile, speculations are ripe that Congress is offering an olive branch to Mehbooba Mufti ahead of the oath taking ceremony of the PDP chief as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. The coalition has ruled the state since 1 March, 2015 with her departed father Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as its leader. We are not in any condition to discuss government formation at this moment. That is raising suspicion within the BJP camp that there could be more to Mehbooba’s silence than what meets the eye. “As and when she decides the process to begin, it shall begin”, he said.

Asked whether he thinks that fresh Assembly election should be held because of the present stalemate in the state, Karra said, “Our support base has drastically declined by tying up with BJP. All the other stuff is well crafted smoke and mirrors, nothing more”, he said. After a due recommendation from the Union Home Ministry to the President of India, for imposition of Governor’s rule in the state, so also a similar communication from J&K Governor, NN Vohra the decision has been taken.