Lone Threat To The Big Two

A new front taking shape under Sajad Lone promises to test the Muftis and the Abdullahs

- Naseer Ganai in Srinagar

JAMMU and Kashmir’s top two political families—the Abdullahs and the Muftis—are facing a real challenge for the first time. The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its president, former CM Mehbooba Mufti, are facing a rebellion within, even as the emergence of a ‘third front’ led by Sajad Gani Lone looks imminent. Even though not a single legislator from J&K’s grand old party, the National Conference (NC), has raised the banner of revolt so far, former CM and NC vice-president Omar Abdullah is repeatedly seeking dissolution of the J&K Assembly—worried that New Delhi is orchestrating the defection within the PDP to create a new political formation that could form the government in alliance with the BJP.

The 87-member assembly has been under suspended animation since the break-up of the PDP-BJP alliance. The PDP has 28 MLAs, making it the largest single party, followed by the BJP with 25, NC 15 and Congress 12, while Lone’s People’s Conference has two. The BJP is 16 short of forming the majority.

On Sunday, July 8, Mehbooba had one-on-one meeting with her party MLAs. According to the PDP, 18 MLAs turned up or called her on phone, though other sources say only 12 met her. The interaction started at 11 am and continued till 6 pm. Omar, however, says there is a lot of “confusion about how many MLAs attended the PDP meeting…and, in any case, speculation is meaningless”.

The revolt against Mehbooba’s leadership and her party is led by Shia leader Imran Raza Ansari, who has a strong base in his own constituency of Pattan. He says Mehbooba turned the party into a family fiefdom, accommodating her brother, her uncle, nieces and others in positions of authority when she was CM.

FAST FORWARD Lone, with his voter base in Kupwara, is an ally of the BJP