In Mehbooba’s damage control bid, disgruntled Baig apptd PDP patron

JUNAID SIDIQ

SRINAGAR: In order to control the further divide in the party after back to back resignation of ex-legislators—fourth one quitting today, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti finally managed to mollify disgruntled Lok Sabha member of the party Muzaffar Hussain Baig, nominating him as the patron of the party, after a daylong meeting convened with her party leaders which was jointly chaired by the two senior leaders here on Monday.

Talking to The News Now, PDP Chief Spokesman Rafi Ahmad Mir said it was a unanimous decision by the party to appoint Baig as patron being the senior most leader in the party.

“Baig sahib has been nominated as PDP patron, the decision was taken during party's core group meeting held here under the chairmanship of PDP President Mehbooba Mufti, " Mir said.

The development comes amidst rebellion in the PDP with fourth former MLAs quitting the party ahead of today’s meeting and rumours of many more leaders likely to desert the party ahead of the fresh assembly elections, which have been necessitated due to dissolution of the lower house of the state legislature by Governor Satya pal Malik on November 21.

Speculations were rife that Baig, whose wife Safina Baig is the president of women's wing of the PDP, might quit the party as he came out in public against the party leadership on November 20, and hinted to join BJP’s ally Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference.

"The PDP betrayed the workers, denying them a chance to connect with the people, by boycotting the (municipal) elections. They left a vacuum and that space has now been occupied. Politics does not wait for people who boycott," Baig had said last month.

Talking to this scribe, Mir denied any divide in the party, and said that today's meeting sorted out all the issues that were raised by some of the party leaders.

Meanwhile, sources said in the meeting, Baig before reconciling with the PDP president expressed his concern on being sidelined when it comes to the decision-making in the party.

Sources said Baig told the meeting that he had a grudge against the party for keeping him “out of the affairs” by sending him to Lok Sabha.

Sources said apart from Baig, his brother Javed Baig, PDP leader Javed Mustafa Mir also highlighted their concern about the functioning of the party affairs, which in past months have led to the party facing rebellions from within.

After the fall of the PDP-BJP government, many party leaders charged Mehbooba Mufti for resorting to "kitchen cabinet" where only family members were given the priority over others.

The accusation led to the resignation of four senior leaders in the party that include former PDP lawmakers Hasseb Drabu, Imran Ansari, Abid Ansari and most recently, Mohammad Abbas Wani who resigned before the commencement of meeting.

Meanwhile, Mir said the PDP president also asked the party leaders to gear up the cadre for the next assembly and parliament elections.

"Senior leaders of the party today (Monday) met under the chairmanship of party President @MehboobaMufti and Muzzafar Hussain Beigh Sahab," the PDP said on its Twitter handle soon after the meeting.