Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 24: Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today accused PDP President Mehbooba Mufti of showing indecisive and wavering leadership on Government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.
“If the last two months are a precursor and an indication of the next more than four years to come – God save our State for such indecisive, wavering leadership,” he wrote on his Facebook page.
Omar said for over two months, the State has witnessed a roller-coaster performance of political posturing from PDP underlined by a display of indecisive leadership.
“After the demise of late Mufti (Mohammad Sayeed) Sahib, Mehbooba Mufti declared her unwillingness to take over the reins of power unless BJP and the Central Government announced certain confidence building measures (CBMs),” he said.
Mehbooba had termed her father’s decision to align with BJP as an “unpopular” one, he said and noted that her intentions were viewed as docile and noble – at least as far as BJP is concerned.
“She wanted to be seen as a rebel who was immune to the temptation of power that her father had succumbed to. What started as her claim for higher moral ground has ended in the same old territory of serious contradictions – by now an all too familiar hallmark of her politics and that of her party’s,” he said.
PDP is now clearly about to form the Government with BJP and Mehbooba Mufti would become the Chief Minister, shattering the expectations raised by them for the last two months, he said.
Omar questioned as to how such a leadership will confront divisive forces that threaten the State’s integrity, its amity and its peace.
“How will such indecisiveness affect the State politically and economically is something that remains to be seen. Sadly, the script seems to have been written and the preview is alarming,” he said.
Omar said that the tables have turned now.
“The last month was apparently spent in mollifying the BJP’s Central leadership and reiterating an unconditional, unquestionable loyalty to them.
“Now it is the PDP serenading the BJP. Soon after meeting the Prime Minister, BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav went on record to say that there was no talk of Government formation in the meeting between Mehbooba Mufti and the Prime Minister and also reiterated that PDP had not made any demands,” he said.
“In an even more cutting-to-size manoeuvre, Ram Madhav told the media that the Prime Minister had received Mehbooba Mufti with great courtesy and had asked her to take up the alliance negotiations with the BJP leadership instead of him,” he said.
“He went on to state that these negotiations are best held at the party level and not at the Prime Minister’s level and the BJP will hold negotiations on this issue after PDP’s legislature party meeting in Srinagar today,” he said.
Omar also said that Mehbooba had rushed to Delhi to save her party from disintegration.
“It’s evident that Mehbooba Mufti, terrified by the imminent fragmentation of her party, rushed to New Delhi in a matter of days to try and apologize for her posturing and her little rebellion,” he said.
Talking to reporters in Srinagar, Omar said PDP will have to answer why it made the people wait for more than two months when it has got nothing from the Centre.
“We thought something positive will come out of the meeting (with the Prime Minister). But everything became clear yesterday when BJP leader Ram Madhav issued a statement saying that neither did Mehbooba made a demand nor did she got anything.
“He said she only took blessings from the Prime Minister and got satisfied. We are surprised as we have been hearing since the last two-and-a-half months that they will get something from Delhi. She had said that PDP would not form the Government without getting CBMs. What has changed today?”, Omar asked.
The NC leader said the PDP continuously made the people to wait for the Government saying they will get land freed from the security forces, get the power projects returned to the State, talk on AFSPA, get a political package and get money for flood relief.
“But nothing came. People will not leave it easily. It is not that she has to be satisfied, it is the people who have to be satisfied and I am sorry but people are not satisfied.
“She (Mehbooba) has to answer and tell people what led to the sudden change in the situation as she is ready to form the Government without getting anything from the Centre.
“Why PDP made us to wait for more than two months then? They should have formed the Government immediately after Mufti’s death,” Omar said.
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