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| PDP closes 2007 with Beig, Qazi in media limelight | | | Sanjay Khajuria
Jammu | Jan 1
It was ‘Just another day’ for the People’s Democratic Party as it closes its year like the past years with some shocks and surprises and leaped to new year with trouble shooter due to Qazi issue and then surprised party cadre by catapulting Beig whom the leadership forced to step down and called it a day with year ender.
It needs not to mention here that the party has been in news every year ender for one or the other reason since it came into power in 2002. To start with it attracted ire in the early phase from within the coalition especially from JKNPP for its ‘healing touch policy and surrender policy’ while the Congress subtly opposed its partner. Further party faces strong criticism once again but this time from the excise employees who were sacked from their duties who blamed that they are being victimized only under a well judged Political Vedanta (as they were branded National Conference loyalists).
It has been observed that every year PDP has to satisfied with a chill as after being climbing down from power seat it has been in news every year whether for party dissidence, party activist branded as militant, or circumstances toughened to pressurize upto an extent that leadership has to call back its own ranks from top rank of Deputy Chief Ministership, followed by rebellion from former MoS Lone’s son who challenged the party high command and contested as independent candidate in the by poll over the seat vacated after the gruesome killing of his father by terrorists. The party also faced strong criticism from its rivals when terrorist struck at Akshara Dham Temple in Gujarat and there were reports that the attackers had took shelter in the upcountry house of party senior leader and Minister of Agriculture A A Zargar, JKNPP, BJP and NC have demanded resignation of the said minister.
And the toughened circumstances due to dissidence within the party also cornered the party president Mehbooba Mufti and compelled her to utter tough words like, “her party stands whatever she says’ referring to rebellion by Ex-Tourism Minister G H Mir. Then it was August 2006 when another party loyalist Muzaffar Hussain Beig faced the music of the party leadership and was asked to climb down from Deputy Chief Ministership reasons well known to the party leadership and the being himself though the things has settled down by the recent nomination of the Beig as deputy chief ministership. And Beig did hit the media limelight when he found himself in debates for his visiting church on Christmas which was flayed by the Muslim (orthodox) society.
“But reinstating Beig may rekindle the year old grievances within the party ranks who felt ignored by the same move by the party high command in the year 2005 when transfer of power took place, some felt within the party.
The recently concluded year 2007 also witnessed troubles for PDP when things get shaky for the Minister for Forest Qazi Afzal who even tendered his resignation and there were roumours within the political avenues that Minister for Finance and Planning T H Kara may be clipped of his wings.
But the PDP has learnt to tackle its problems as sulking leadership is still under the umbrella of party leadership the political intelligentsia and mindset and experience of sailing in rough winds secured by Muftis has kept the party intact despite facing odd hours many times since its inception and will continue to be in driving seat in this year also, some observed.
Some even believe it is difficult to say at the moment whether the party will make inroads in Jammu region and will affect NC’s prospects in the state or consolidate its position in Jammu, Kargil and Ladakh, but all depends on how the Muftis play their cards in the longer run for which they are acknowledged in political galleries. |
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