PDP to hold first party meeting this weekend after death of Mufti Sayeed
With the Peoples Democratic Party toughening its stand and seeking a guarantee from the BJP over the implementation of the Agenda of Alliance, the Central government has reached out to Mehbooba Mufti.
Top sources said Expenditure Secretary, Union Finance Ministry, RP Watal today called on Mehbooba Mufti at her Lakeview residence here and informed her that they were expediting the release of the economic package for the state.
“The Union Expenditure Secretary offered condolences to Mehbooba Mufti on the demise of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. The senior official also informed her that the release of the economic package was being expedited,” a source privy to the development said.
The visit of the Finance Ministry official is being seen as an effort by the BJP to reach out to Mehbooba as her party has toughened its stand and wants deadlines to be set to implement important components of the Agenda of Alliance, which had been okayed by both the parties last year to run the government in J&K.
PDP senior leader Naeem Akhtar and close aide of party president Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday said the party would review its performance and see what had been achieved by them under the Agenda of Alliance during the last 10 months.
The state is under Governor’s rule as Mehbooba Mufti, who is to succeed her father Mufti Mohamad Sayeed, has refused to take oath due to the mourning.
The senior party leaders who met informally at the Mufti s residence today have also agreed that the party should review its performance during the last 10 months.
“To govern J&K is not like running a municipality. It is the most sensitive state in the country. Now that Mufti Saheb is not with us, we all want an assurance from the BJP that a timeframe be set up on issues like return of power projects, getting back state land from the Army and political and economic concerns which were agreed to by the two parties before stitching a coalition last year,” a senior party leader said.
He said the PDP was also planning to hold its first party meeting after the death of Mufti Sayeed this weekend to decide the future course.
“The meeting will be either held on Saturday or Sunday and it will be chaired by party president Mehbooba Mufti,” he added.
