By Ishtiyaq Ahmed
Is PDP, the party that bagged 28 seats in 2014 polls, a sinking ship now? The recent political developments suggest that PDP is fast loosing ground in Kashmir with many of its former legislators choosing their fresh goals– some siding with the National Conference and some joining Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference.
Some of PDPs former legislators, however are indecisive while a few who have blood and family relations with Muftis in a silent mode. PDPs old guard Muzaffar Beig who had warned of quting the party was pacified by the PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti by appointing him as the patron of the party.
However, Mehbooba couldn’t stop the “winds of change” as the party almost saw many of its prominent faces parting ways. To begin with, Ansaris- Imran Ansari followed by his uncle Abid Ansari…who represented zadibal assembly segement in Srinagar and Pattan in Baramulla district.
The duo, according to sources, have decided to board Sajad Lone led PC. After Ansari’s…former MLA Tangmarg Abbas Wani also quit and he too seems to part of PC which is all set to emerge as the third front in the upcoming elections likely to be held in April-May next year.
Former finance minister, Haseeb Drabu also resigned from.the party leaving the PDP chief furious. The prominent faces in the party Syed Basharat Bukhari and Peer Hussain joined the National Conference in presence of senior and junior Abdullahs–Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah.
After back to back jolts, PDP is keeping a close watch on the remaining former legislators especially Muhammad Ashraf Mir, Javid Mustafa Mir, Javaid Beig, Aijaz Mir, and Yawar Dilawar Mir and Muhstaq Shah. Those having blood and family relations like Sartaj Madani, Farooq Andrabi and Nayeem Akhter will stay for sure.
What remains to be seen is whether rest of the former legislators woukd stay or follow suit like other colleagues. A source in the PDP said that major anger was brewing within the party since long and that now resentment has come in open. “Now at present Mehbooba herself is saying alliance with the BJP was a suicide,” the source said. “There are many factors responsible for the disintegration of the party. There was a one man show. A person who never contested polls was made minister and those who put lives on the line were left.”
