Omkar Dattatray
Given the desertions, group-ism, rivalry, dissentions and the resignations of some of its leaders including former ministers, ex- legislators, both of the upper house and the lower house, it can be said with certainty that PDP is a house of cards. It implies that PDP is on the course of fall anytime in future given the parties present murkier state of affairs as the party is riddled with factionalism and dissentions.
PDP was founded by its founder Ex-Chief minister of the state Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed way back in 1998. It had become a formidable and viable political alternative to national conference & is today on the brink of disaster and if urgent attention is not paid by the leadership of the party, the PDP may suffer a great deal and it will not remain a viable political alternative in the upcoming elections when the ECI will announce elections. It is very sad that the regional party which was founded by one of the tallest leaders of the state Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and nurtured by the charismatic leader is on the brink of crisis. Desertions, dissentions and the scenes of open revolt by the senior leaders of the party is an open book.
Some allege that the very birth of PDP was the result of the BJP government of 1998 and some allege that the then Home Minister L.K Advani had played back channel role in the creation of PDP to counter the growing strength and presence of national conference. The NC had also subscribed to this theory. They have said earlier that PDP is the brain child of the BJP. Factionalism, group-ism, family raj has marred the prospects of the PDP and it will cost the party so dearly when the elections will be held in the state. In fact, PDP was a formidable and viable alternative to regional NC. Mehbooba Mufti the former Chief Minister and President of PDP faced rebellion after the fall of PDP-BJP coalition government in June, 2018.
The rebel legislators of PDP accused the former CM of perpetuating family rule and being cut off from the gross root workers. Imran Ansari , a senior leader and former Minister had called Mehbooba Mufti “an incompetent”. He had went to the extent of calling PDP as family rehabilitation party and rightly so given the fact that the affairs of the party are in the hands of the close kith and kin of Mehbooba and they are calling shots and running the party as a family. Ansari had also said in the context of PDP that it is a sinking ship and spoke of abandoning the ship before it sank. He further blamed actions of PDP for growing discontent in Kashmiri masses.
According to him party leadership was not decisive, so the law and order problem worsened. He accused PDP leadership of reducing party to a family affair. He further said, “we should fend for ourselves before the boat sinks.” But the fact is that Imran Ansari is not the only legislator to have rebelled. The cracks in PDP had begun to appear after the PDP – BJP coalition government fell as the BJP walked out of the government on 19th of June, 2018.
More legislators have expressed resentment and there is no end to this drama of rebellion in the party. Rebelled legislators are of the view that discontent in the party has been brewing from last two years. PDP first tied with the BJP in 2015 under the mantle of Late Mufti Mohammed Sayeed. The alliance was renewed after his demise in 2016 when Mehbooba Mufti took over as Chief Minister. The main grievances against party leadership seems to be the perpetuation of dynastic rule, cronyism and a CM who remained cut off from the gross root workers and the party's rank and file. It is a fact that under Mufti Sayeed's leadership every member was an equal stakeholder said Imran Ansari.
He further opined that Mehbooba Mufti could not emerge as a leader as her relatives whom he “called self styled leaders” who were “rejected by people” had become power brokers who often undermined the party's elected representatives and ground level workers. They were given best portfolios and ministries.
The best example of this is that in 2017 Tasaduq Mufti was appointed a minister. Abid Ansari, Imran Ansari's uncle also spoke against the party leadership and said, “We were not satisfied with the work or policies that were undertaken during PDP-BJP regime”. Not only this, another legislator from central Kashmiri's Tangmarg constituency Mohammad Abass Wani was among the first to join Ansari's rebellion. He said, “PDP's leadership has not treated the MLA's with respect. MLA's are not happy with the leadership of the party”. In north Kashmir's Baramulla constituency legislator Javeed Hussian Beg also joined rebel ranks. He had said, “Mehbooba was only consulting those who were ill-intentioned. She trusted them and failed. Some among them tell her she was above Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. Sycophant. He further said non elected members were responsible for the ouster of former finance minister Haseeb Drabu. He further said that PDP died the day Mufti Sayeed died. Such was the resentment of Javeed Beg.
Earlier Abdullah Majeed Paddar from Noorabad constituency showed signs of rebellion and revolt and he spew venom on the party leadership but thank God he was roped in and now he is PDP's advocate but in his heart of hearts there are signs of dissidence. Even the tallest leader of PDP Muzzafar Hussain Beg who was showing signs of dissidence over boycotting of panchayat and ULB elections and some other matters has now been pacified and given the status of party patriarch.
Earlier, Hasseb Drabbu Ex- Finance Minister had been sacked from the cabinet and expelled from the party over his remark that Kashmir issue is not a political issue but later his expulsion was revoked but he resigned from PDP giving a big jolt to the party. Recently, three PDP leaders from Chenab valley Dr. Shahid Mughal and Mehboob Iqbal along with B.A Runyal have resigned from the party and joined N.C. Two former Ministers joined N.C. PDP got another jolt when its two minister joined NC.
Former minister and two legislators from North Kashmir's Sangrama constituency Bashrat Bukhari resigned from the party. He is the fifth legislator to have resigned. Peer Mohd. Hussain also resigned from PDP. He was legislator from South Kashmir. Ealier Raja Ajaz Ali Khan who had contested from Uri also resigned.
While Imran Ansari and Abid Ansari joined NC, Khan and Abbas Wani joined Loan led People's conference. Thus, in brief after dissolution of assembly PDP had suffered many defections. Three MLAs from PDP have joined Loan's party. Two PDP MLCs also resigned from the party. Recently Mehbooba Mufti had called a meeting of Ex- legislators to discuss the grim scenario of the party including revolt and desertions but many legislators skipped the meeting. Mehbooba had said that during election time leaders come and go but it will have no effect upon the party. A section of leaders have openly revolted against Mehbooba Mufti and have resigned and joined NC or PC. PDP ruled the state from 2002 to 2005, then again from 2015 to 2016 June. Javid Mustafa Mir resigned from the PDP due to growing differences between him and party leadership. Mir is the sixth legislator and fourth minister to have resigned. He represented central Kashmir's Chadoora constituency.
PDP's four second rung leaders resigned in Jammu. Another youth leader Sachin Kumar also quit the party. Sartaj Mandni resigned as party vice president at the behest of PDP president to douse the flames of dissention and revolt. It followed the resignations of other office bearers of the PDP in order to cool down the tempers of the dissidents but of no avail. Besides, this Mehbooba'a maternal Uncle Farroq Indrabi who was a minister also resigned after fall of PDP – BJP coalition. All this speaks enough about the fact that all is not well in the PDP and it should attract the attention of the PDP president and the party high command so that the situation may not slip out of the hands of the PDP and the party be able to fight upcoming elections as a formidable force.
But it has to be seen how will the party leadership tackle the crisis of grave magnitude before the elections and how will it keep its own house in order to fight the elections when announced. PDP leadership should take immediate steps to save and resurrect the party's image and salvage it from further crisis if it has to remain a force to reckon with in the elections when held.
