Mehbooba Mufti in talks before forming government

To meet MLAs today, some want pact with BJP reworked

With the four-day mourning period over the death of its patron, chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, ending Sunday, the Peoples’ Democratic Party leadership has begun serious discussions internally on the formation of a new government in Jammu and Kashmir.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti held a meeting with its legislators and other senior party leaders at her official residence “Fairview” at Gupkar here Sunday evening. The meeting was expected to discuss threadbare the options for the party in the backdrop of informal talks its leaders have had with its BJP ally after the chief minister’s death before taking a final call on forming the new government, party sources said.

Nothing of the sort, however, happened at the meeting. Party sources said Ms Mufti, speaking on the occasion, just sought forgiveness on behalf of her late father. “If any one of you was ever hurt by Mufti Sahib, I apologise and seek forgiveness,” she said. This changed the entire atmosphere and many participants started crying. The party president too broke down, the sources said, adding those who spoke restricted their talk to paying glowing tributes to the party patron.

After dinner, Ms Mufti was closeted with her senior party leaders to discuss the situation after Mr Sayeed’s death. She has decided to continue the deliberations with her party colleagues, including legislators, and will meet them in small groups from Monday morning, the sources said.

The sources said some party leaders and MLAs believe the PDP should revisit certain issues and decisions taken under the leadership of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who successfully yet arduously led the PDP-BJP coalition government in the state for 10 long months before falling seriously ill last month. This includes forming a coalition government with the BJP, which some party leaders feel has only eroded the PDP’s base in the Kashmir Valley.

The visit of Congress president Sonia Gandhi to Srinagar on Sunday to personally condole the death of Mr Sayeed with his family and earlier party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad accompanying the chief minister’s mortal remains to Srinagar from new Delhi and then visiting his grave in Bijbehara led to speculation about a possible tie-up of the two parties. However, the Congress insisted there was no politics in these events. The Congress was part of a coalition with the PDP, which ruled from 2002 to 2008, before the later withdrew support amid the Amarnath land row, leading to the premature fall of the Ghulam Nabi Azad-led state government.

Kashmir watchers and constitutional experts, however, rule out such a possibility as in the numbers game the two parties will still be short of a couple of MLAs even if the four Independents throw their lot behind them to stake claim to government formation. Yet if the reports that suggest the BJP is claiming the lion’s share in allotment of portfolios in the new government are true, the PDP chief may only find herself in a difficult situation, forcing her to seek alternatives. In that case, the National Conference will be seen only as a crucial player in the whole process.

PDP sources said Mrs Gandhi was accompanied by Mr Azad, senior party leaders Ambika Soni and Saifuddin Soz and J&K PCC chief G.A. Mir. Mrs Gandhi termed the Mufti’s death a “huge loss” for the country, and also met other family members, including Ms Mufti’s mother Gulshan Nazir Ara to express solidarity in their grief.

Union transport minister and senior BJP leader Nitin Gandkari also visited Ms Mufti at her Srinagar residence on Sunday afternoon. Besides condoling her father’s death, he is also reported to have discussed issues relating to government formation. PDP sources said Mr Gadkari was accompanied by BJP state chief Sat Sharma and senior leaders, including former deputy CM Nirmal Singh and Sukhnandan Kumar. “Mr Gadkari said the entire country stood in solidarity with the bereaved family in sharing grief on the demise of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed,” a party spokesman said.

Earlier Sunday, fateha prayers were offered at the grave of Mr Sayeed at Dara Shikoh Bagh in Bijbehara. Thousands turned up to pay homage. A condolence meeting was also held at the chief minister’s official residence in Srinagar.