Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president, Mehbooba Mufti is likely to replace her father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as the Chief Minister of J&K, sources said.
It was after an open opposition by two senior PDP leaders and Lok Sabha members, that reports flew across Jammu and Kashmir offices about the transfer of power in the ruling PDP, to Mehbooba.
Amid the rumors one question that revolves round the offices is whether Mufti Muhammad Sayeed, who will turn 80 on January 12, 2016, would let Mehbooba hold the office now or would he wait till the next year.
Mufti’s daughter Mehbooba, 56, represents South Kashmir Anantnag seat in the Lok Sabha and attends party affairs.
Senior PDP leader, who is close to both Sayeed and Mehbooba said, “She is undeniably the best choice given her role in resurrecting the party ever since it was created. She is also the most trusted advisor of her father.”
Two senior PDP leaders and Lok Sabha members, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh and Tariq Hameed Karra being against the PDP-BJP alliance in state, might not let the political transition be so smooth.
Beigh and Karra also didn’t attend the Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s public rally on November 7.
Muzaffar Beigh had earlier said, “alliance between the PDP and the BJP has miserably failed in coming up to the expectation of the people and its failure to deliver could result in annihilation of the PDP as a political force in the state.”
Karra also stated in disappointment, “It is the worst thing that could happen to J&K. There is no political discourse and space in the dispensation for which the party was created.”
The BJP central leadership declared that Sayeed would be chief minister for the full six year term of the Kashmir assembly, in contrast to those in other states of the country.
A senior BJP leader in Jammu said,” BJP would have no problems with Mufti Sahib handing over power to his daughter in case he thinks it absolutely necessary provided the terms of our alliance for equitable development of all the three regions of the state are respected. Yes, our central party leadership has to be taken on board before such a decision is taken.”
It is believed that Sayeed has already discussed the likely transition with senior BJP leader and general secretary Ram Madhav, who has agreed to the change with consent of Prime Minister and BJP president Amit Shah.
A confidante of the Chief Minister, however, dismissed the changeover for two reasons: one, that Sayeed is not keeping good health and two that he is delaying the transition because of the fear of intra-party conflict.