Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Feb 19: The on-going political crisis within PDP caused by resignation of senior Cabinet Minsters two days back is likely to blow over with PDP president and Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti holding separate meetings with both the grieved Ministers to diffuse the situation.
Reliable sources in PDP told EXCELSIOR, “pained over the simultaneous resignation by two senior Ministers hours after the reshuffle of portfolios on February 17, the Chief Minister took on herself the onus of resolving the political crisis and therefore held separate consultations with both of her Cabinet colleagues — Horticulture Minister, Basharat Bukhari and Minister for Information Technology, Technical Education and Youth Service and Sports, Imran Raza Ansari.”
“In both the meetings, the Chief Minister gave a very patient hearing to the Ministers. Though both of them had send detailed statements to the CM’s residence, she was keen on having face to face interaction with them and wanted to hear from them the exact reason for submitting resignations”, sources asserted.
“Imran Ansari had met the Chief Minister yesterday evening in Srinagar and the meeting lasted for nearly 40 minutes. The Minister explained in detail his reasons for quitting the Cabinet berth”, sources said.
Sources elaborated, “today the Horticulture Minister also had a comprehensive meeting with the party chief and aired his grievances to the former in the meeting, which lasted for nearly two hours” adding, “the Minister explained to the party leadership that he was deeply hurt for being stripped of important Departments in the recent Cabinet reshuffle, despite no complaints against him”.
Sources further said, “the Chief Minister told both the Ministers that they should have first held confabulations with her, before outrightly submitting their resignations, thereby bringing embarrassment to the entire party. The matter should have been first discussed within the party forum as there is always scope for discussions on all matters”.
Asked about the fate of resignations submitted by the duo, sources asserted, “the Chief Minister was unlikely to forward these resignations to the Governor and some compromise formulae is likely to be worked out in near future”, sources asserted.
Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti also returned to the winter capital today afternoon and is likely to hold further discussion with her senior colleagues on the issue.
Pertinent to mention that though both Basharat Bukhari and Imran Raza Ansari have submitted their resignations, they continue to be Cabinet Ministers in official capacity till their resignations are accepted by the Chief Minister and subsequently forwarded to the Governor, N N Vohra.
Anguished over the Cabinet reshuffle on February 17, former Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation, Basharat Bukhari and Minister for Information Technology, Technical Education and Youth Services and Sports, Imran Raza Ansari had both tendered their resignations to the Chief Minister.
Basharat had earlier held the portfolio of Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs, when Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was heading the Government in 2015 and had been re-inducted as Minister for Revenue, Relief and Rehabilitation when Mehbooba Mufti took over the reins of Government on April 4, 2016.
Shia religious cleric, Imran Ansari, who is MLA from Pattan had been inducted as Minister in 2015 by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and continue to hold the same portfolio since then.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel