Srinagar, Mar 16: Days after Haseeb Drabu was dropped from the council of ministers over a controversial remark, Chief Minister Mehbboba Mufti has invited all Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators tomorrow for dinner at her Gupkar residence.
Sources within the PDP told KNS that almost all the Ministers MLAs, MLCs of the party have been invited to attend the dinner to be hosted by the Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday evening. “Though all, party leaders have been invited for dinner, but the president actually wants to put across the party’s stand on various issues especially on controversial issues,” one of the PDP ministers wished anonymity told KNS.
Minister for education Altaf Bukhari, who has also been given the additional charge of finance confirmed to KNS that all the legislators have been invited by the chief Minister for dinner.
Sources said that the Chief Minister wants to clarify the party leaders not to indulge in any controversies. ‘The Party president is likely to direct all the leaders to sideline the controversial issues and focus on the developmental issue. The leaders will be directed not to comment on every issue, instead only authorized leaders should comment on controversial issues,”.
Sources believe that that the Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti will also get first hand information about the feedback, the party ministers and legislators have received from the ground.“The meet will be crucial in nature since the sacking of Haseeb Drabu from the council of ministers over controversial remark on Kashmir,” sources maintained.
Sources said that the meet will also evolve a consensus over its future course of action and besides the meet will also focus on the political developments taking place in the state after the sacking of the finance minister.
Sources said that there will be crucial discussions over what would be the party’s focus in the coming time. The party president will press the legislators to strengthen the party at the grassroots and establish a connection with the ground level workers.
The chief minister Mehbooba Mufti has been at the forefront to impress upon the party leadership to adhere to the guidelines and laid down norms of the party.
It is also to mention here that the PDP and BJP have differences on several critical issues including on Rohingyaas, Article 370, Article 35-A. The J&K government’s decision to set up a probe and register a case of murder against the Army for the three deaths has also strained relations between coalition partners. After the police registered an FIR against 10 Garwhal Rifles of the Army, the BJP demanded withdrawal of the FIR.
The coalition partners were also divided on Kuthua incident. Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has rejected the demand of the BJP of transferring Kuthua case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.
