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| GRAND RECONCILIATION | | Courtesy sake –Omar meets Mufti | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Jan 3: Setting precedence for a grand reconciliation, the National Conference President and Chief Minister designate Omar Abdullah paid a surprise visit to one his most seasoned predecessors –Mufti Mohammad Sayeed –in Srinagar.
While National Conference and the Peoples Democratic Party are cut-throat competitors in Kashmir politics, the uncomfortable axis between the Abdullahs and the Muftis has been a legacy to live on in the Valley. Omar’s visit at Mufti’s residence therefore came as surprise not only in camps of both parties but also to anyone who heard this.
National Conference leaders close to Omar Abdullah described the visit as a ‘courtesy call’ and same was the response from the Peoples Democratic Party leaders.
Omar, sources said, dropped in at Mufti’s resident Fair View at Gupkar Road in Srinagar this morning at around 12:30 PM. Sources said that Mufti was not quite taken aback as his residence was already sounded about Omar’s visit. The meeting lasted for about 15 minutes.
PDP and NC sources said that the Chief Minister-elect asked the Peoples Democratic Party leader for help and cooperation in steering the state ahead, particularly in rejuvenating the peace process. Mufti is reported to have extended all help to Omar but not without reminding the role a responsive opposition has to play.
Political observers have described the visit not only a good omen but also a good move of the Chief Minister-elect who has massive challenges to meet as he moves into the top office.
The young leader who is set to don the mantle of chief minister on Monday, has a difficult road ahead with terrorism as well as growing regional and urban-rural divide in Jammu and Kashmir certain to be high on his agenda.
Omar, the third generation Abdullah family member and youngest chief minister of the border state, also faces high expectations of people besides having to deal with a strong opposition in People's Democratic Party and Bharatiya Janata Party.
The 38-year-old leader is perhaps the first chief minister who will have to grapple with an alarming rise in regional divide in the state since Independence. No other government head including his father Farooq Abdullah and grand father Sheikh Abdullah had faced such a dicey situation, say political analysts.
"Omar has first to integrate the state and end these divides created by the politicians during Amarnath land row. Jammu and Kashmir is highly polarised today," head of department of school of management science, Jammu University, Dr Keshiv Sharma said.
Omar has to take along all the three regions, end regional discrimination in Jammu and Ladakh and face a strong opposition of BJP and PDP, Dr Sharma said.
"Omar has challenges not only on the political front in terms of addressing separatists but also to ensure people-to-people contact to make the state socially cohesive and ensure economic uplift and development on economic front," Prof Amitabh Mattoo said.
"We have high hopes of Omar. He is one among us and thinks like generation-X. The buzzword for him should be end era of unemployment. He should undertake massive multi-sector infrastructure development in order to take Jammu and Kashmir out of the web of militancy and uncertainty," Jammu University MBA student, Vimal Choudary said.
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