PDP’s disgruntled lot turns down Mehbooba’s invite

Srinagar, July 9: The disgruntled Peoples Democratic Party MLAs have refused to meet their President, Mehbooba Mufti, to resolve the differences. At least six PDP leaders including five MLAs and one MLC have openly revolted against the party leadership. Some of them held Mehbooba responsible for the fall of the PDP-BJP coalition. Since her return from New Delhi on Saturday, Mehbooba has been meeting the party legislators at her Gupkar residence. However, the disgruntled MLAs did not go to meet her. “I got an invitation to meet her, but I will not go,” Abid Ansari, representing Zadibal constituency, said. Abid has been claiming that 14 party legislators were mulling to leave the party. “I will not go there until our demands are met. We have been demanding that some of the people shall be removed from the party. If these people are removed, we will decide whether to meet her or not,” he said. “Sartaj Madni, Naeem Akhtar, and Peerzada Mansoor are taking all decisions. Even Mehbooba brought her brother into the cabinet.” He said that talks were going on amongst the disgruntled PDP leaders mulling to leave the party. “If our demands are not addressed, we will form our own group.” Another PDP MLA and nephew of Abid, Imran Raza Ansari said, “I will not attend the meeting even if invited by the party president.” Imran, the former IT and Higher Education Minister has said, “PDP and the government had off late been reduced to a family opera where the brothers, the uncles, the aunties and other relatives would play protagonist and to continue with such a party was not only useless but a humiliation too.” Abdul Majeed Padroo, too, turned down Mehbooba’s invite. “I received invitations 10 times, but didn’t go there. In future, I may meet her and raise all the issues,” Padroo said. The discord within the party has given rise to speculations that BJP was trying to form government with the help of unhappy PDP leaders.