Sheikh Shabir
So Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti has taken oath as Chief Minister of Jammu Kashmir. As the first woman CM of the state, she has created history. Her willingness to take over the hot seat boldly shows she likes to accept challenges.
In view of her talking over, it can be said that the situation is tailor made for her in Jammu Kashmir which is full of challenges in every walk of life. These challenges are going to test her mettle and her leadership abilities though they will give her the first hand experience of administration in Jammu Kashmir as well.
The first challenge for Mehbooba is the wide spread and rampant corruption at all levels and everywhere in Jammu Kashmir. What strengthens this menace is the indifference and callous approach of people towards it. People have resigned to the idea that corruption cannot be defeated; it is something normal here and wisdom lies in living it.
Truth is that those people who go along with corruption without a murmur, are easily getting the comforts of life while the ones who go against the stream, get deprived of even basic needs, not to speak of luxuries. In other words, it can be said that the people who respect and recognise the rights of others, themselves land in trouble and find their own rights violated brazenly.
Since the roots of corruption are wide and deep seated, the new CM has to take the bull by the horns. In doing so, she may get rich dividends and may, in course of time, realize that she is putting her hand in a lion’s mouth. But then, she is politically mature and knows that politics involves taking risks and risks most of the time bring rewards. So she boldly has to lead to from the front to curb the corrupt hands so that people breathe easy and the state progresses.
To deal with the corrupt, she may use an institutional approach and ask the institutions like State Accountability Commission, Vigilance Organization, and State Information Commission to take on the evil of corruption. But this approach is not enough and effective and needs to be supported by other means as well. For example, CCTVs, social networking sites can be made use of by people and the guilty need to be punished without fear and favor.
Second challenge is huge unemployment which is rising with every passing day. The highly educated unemployed people are finding it extremely painful to meet their basic needs. Their life has become miserable. They have their own families but have no source of income to feed them. A state is duty bound to provide a means of livelihood to its people. And the CM, as the custodian of the state, has to ensure that these unemployed and educated citizens get some means of livelihood to live a dignified and respectable life.
These unemployed people have high expectations from PDP this time. Though they were disappointed with the party’s performance in its last innings, they have not given up.
Third challenge is to prove late Mufti Sayeed’s and now her decision of entering into coalition with BJP, right. Under Sayeed’s people, especially the Muslim population, were unhappy with PDP’s alliance with BJP. Now she too has decided to form government with the same party. So she has to prove the decision right. For that, she has to rule in such a way that the coalition partner does not rake thorny issues. If that does not happen, PDP’s popularity will erode. And Mehbooba will find it almost impossible to save her party from public hatred.
Fourth challenge is to control her party members so that they indeed work for the benefit of people, not exploit them under the garb of power. That gains more importance because Panchayat, ULB polls; polls for Anantang Assembly segment and parliamentary seat (in south Kashmir) are due within six months. In these polls, she must lead her ruling party to victory to prove its popularity. A loss or a near loss here would lend a big blow to the party’s image.
Author can be mailed at sheikhshabir518@gmail.com
