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| Qazi left ditches, says have resigned | | Azad elevates Aijaz with additional charge of H&UD | | Early Times Reporter
Srinagar | Oct 3
Indicative of a direct affront to coalition partner Peoples Democratic Party, chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today handed over the 'additional' charge of Housing an Urban Development department to Minister of state for Forest and Higher Education Aijaz Ahmed Khan here today.
The decision seems to be an indicator of growing rift among the coalition partners and Azad's bid to woo the Gujjar votes ahead of Assembly elections, which are due next year.
The department of H&UD, which was under the charge PDP mascot of 2002 elections, Qazi Mohammad Afzal, who resigned after chief minister withdrew the charge of Forest department from him. Qazi Afzal tendered his resignation soon after in protest. Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, in reply to a letter written by Qazi Afzal, refused to accept the resignation but retained the portfolio of Forests with him.
In a handout issued here, an official spokesman said, "The chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has assigned the charge of Housing and Urban Development to Minister of State for Forest Aijaz Ahmed Khan in addition to his own portfolio.
The Government order said that Khan would look after the government business related to the Housing and Urban Development till further orders.
Housing and Urban Development Minister Qazi Afzal when contacted said, "I have resigned from the post and any comment on the relations between coalition partners can be given only by party president Mehbooba Mufti."
Political observers, however, feel that PDP leadership has let down Qazi Afzal and did not lock horns with chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as was done in case of recalling then Finance Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig and handing over the charge to their 'Man Friday' Tariq Hameed Qarra. The fatherly instinct within Mufti Sayeed is guiding him to systematically cleanse the top PDP leadership to smoothen the way for taking over the reigns by daughter Mehbooba Mufti, the analysts feel.
Mufti is a shrewd politician and he knows how to get rid of potential contenders for the top leadership of PDP. He is inducting deserters from other parties and new faces, who can pose no challenge to their leadership, this is why he humiliated Ghulam Hassan Mir, Muzaffar Beig and now Qazi Mohammad Afzal, who humbled down the National Conference president and heir apparent in 2002 elections. |
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