Mehbooba’s call to Omar 4 days ago sealed deal
:It was a call from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti to National Conference vice-president Omar Abdullah four days ago that sealed the deal between a new alliance of NC, PDP and the Congress.
However, parleys of bringing together arch rivals NC and PDP began around a month ago and it was initiated by former J&K finance minister Altaf Bukhari, who held at least two meetings with NC patron and Srinagar MP Farooq Abdullah.
“Secret parlays were going on between NC, Congress and the PDP leadership from one month. It was a phone call from Mehbooba Mufti to Omar Abdullah four days ago that accelerated the process of this new alliance,” a senior PDP leader privy to details told Hindustan Times.
He said Mehbooba even offered Omar or Farooq to lead this new alliance and become the CM of the state. “Both Omar and Farooq declined to head the government, however, they extended support of their 15 legislators to this new alliance.”
Though the idea to get three parties had cropped up when hung verdict came after the 2014 assembly elections, the PDP then decided to go with the BJP, terming the alliance a betrayal to mandate of Jammu from where the BJP had secured all 25 seats.
However, the state government fell in June after BJP withdrew its support to coalition government and Mehbooba Mufti resigned. The idea again came for discussion after members of the civil society met leaders of the PDP, NC and Congress to persuade them to work towards safeguarding Article 35A and form the alliance and the government.
“It was an idea of civil society, but few senior leaders from all three parties toiled hard to get it matured. First, Farooq Abdullah was taken onboard, then Omar Abdullah was roped in. The call from Mehbooba Mufti set the ball rolling, though in both the parties, many leaders opposed it,” the senior PDP leader said.
Another senior leader said that J&K Pradesh Congress Committee president Ghulam Ahmad Mir discussed the issue with Amibka Soni who got a nod for this alliance from the Congress high command.
“Mehbooba Mufti also spoke to Ambika Soni and then Soni and Omar had a detailed discussion over this,” said a PDP leader.
The NC leadership was not averse of making Mehbooba Mufti the CM again. “It was with Mehbooba to take the decision about the new CM and former finance minister Altaf Bukhari was considered a consensus choice.”
A senior NC leader, who is close to Omar Abdullah, said many new developments took place in last seven days. “The reason of forming this alliance was that to protect Article 35A and special status of the state. Besides, BJP was involved in horse trading and propping up a leadership which had no roots on ground.”
Sources within the PDP and NC said the final trigger to cobble alliance came when Junaid Mattu managed to win the election of Srinagar mayor and BJP general secretary Ram Madhav flew to Srinagar to meet the councillors and some BJP leaders hinted that new government led by BJP ally and former minister Sajjad Lone is in the offing after the end of panchayat and local body polls. Both NC and the PDP feared that split could be engineered in their parties.
However, in both the parties many leaders were averse to this formation. “Had we been at the position of NC, I think it wouldn’t have been possible for us to agree on this. But, Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah showed magnanimity by agreeing to support our CM candidate.”
Even Omar on Thursday said that after meeting with legislator, the NC will give its letter of support.
Though both NC and the PDP leaders say that they will contest elections separately, they say that the ice of bringing together the regional parties has been broken.