Mehbooba Mufti Slams J&K Govt: PDP Rolls Out Grassroots Strategy Ahead of Urban Local Body Polls

By: Javid Amin | 03 December 2025

A Sharpening Political Battlefield in Kashmir

When Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti declared that the Jammu & Kashmir government has “failed on all fronts,” she did more than criticise the administration — she reset her party’s political posture. As the region gears up for Urban Local Body (ULB) elections, Mehbooba’s message was not just a critique but a strategic call to arms: PDP must go back to the people, listen, intervene, and rebuild trust from the ground up.

The meeting held at PDP headquarters in Srinagar wasn’t routine. It signalled a shift in strategy, a rebuilding of grassroots machinery, and an attempt to position PDP as the voice of neglected citizens — especially in areas like downtown Srinagar where governance failures are felt most acutely.

This long-form analysis decodes Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks, why she chose this moment to escalate her criticism, and how PDP is recalibrating itself for a new era of politics in Jammu & Kashmir.

Mehbooba Mufti’s Charge: ‘Failure on All Fronts’

01. A Strong Indictment of Governance

In her address to party leaders, Mehbooba Mufti blamed the administration for universal failure:

• Failure to provide relief

• Failure to address inflation

• Failure to maintain civic services

• Failure to protect civil liberties

• Failure to respond to public grievances

In plain words, she framed the current system as disconnected from the pain of ordinary people.

Across Kashmir — particularly in urban belts like downtown Srinagar, and rural pockets where service delivery is inconsistent — citizens regularly complain about:

• Delayed civic works

• Waterlogging, drainage failures

• Erratic power supply

• Price inflation

• Broken transport infrastructure

• Lack of accessible grievance redress

Mehbooba’s critique taps directly into this sentiment: a growing feeling among the public that administrative systems have become bureaucratic, aloof, and unresponsive.

02. The Symbolism Behind Her Statement

Her declaration was deliberate and timely:

• Urban Local Body elections are approaching

• PDP must fight a psychological and organisational battle

• Public anger is rising over service delivery

• The political vacuum has widened since 2019

By saying “failed on all fronts,” she is locating PDP on the side of citizens who feel abandoned.

It is not just criticism — it is positioning.

PDP’s Strategic Pivot: Back to the Grassroots

01. Mehbooba’s Directive: ‘Strengthen Ground Coordination’

Mehbooba instructed:

• District office-bearers

• Block-level leaders

• Senior party functionaries

• Women’s wing

• Youth wing

…to immediately intensify their presence among the people.

This includes:

• Visiting neighbourhoods

• Meeting families affected by administrative apathy

• Assisting with civic complaints

• Liaising with local officials for issue resolution

• Reviving PDP’s traditional grievance cells

• Rebuilding trust with disenfranchised communities

Her message was clear:

“If the government won’t help them, we must.”

02. Reclaiming PDP’s Old Strength: Street-Level Politics

Before 2018, PDP had strong micro-networks across Kashmir’s districts — an asset that eroded after the party’s fall from power and subsequent detentions of its leadership.

Mehbooba’s directive aims to revive:

• Mohalla committees

• Ward-level grievance teams

• Community liaison volunteers

• Youth coordination cells

This is an attempt to transform PDP from a top-down political party into a bottom-up movement, a model reminiscent of its early 2000s identity.

03. Why Grassroots Politics Matters Again

Since 2019, J&K’s political landscape has shifted:

• Bureaucrats dominate decision-making

• Parties struggle for visibility

• Public grievance systems often feel ineffective

• Local anger simmers but lacks expression

Grassroots politics allows PDP to:

• Reclaim political relevance

• Restore connections with disenfranchised communities

• Bypass state machinery and directly address citizen issues

• Reassert itself before elections

It is both an organisational strategy and a political survival tactic.

Spotlight on Downtown Srinagar: Why PDP Is Prioritising the ‘Old City’

01. Understanding Downtown: The Historical Pulse of Kashmir Politics

Downtown Srinagar — the Old City — has:

• High population density

• Historic political activism

• Chronic civic neglect

• Complex grievance patterns

• Repeated issues of infrastructure deficits

It faces:

• Waterlogging

• Narrow, congested roads

• Traffic gridlock

• Poor waste management

• Decaying heritage structures

• Lack of modern public facilities

These aren’t new complaints — they are longstanding and intensifying.

02. PDP’s Focus on Downtown: A Calculated Move

Mehbooba Mufti’s emphasis on downtown issues is strategic:

• It is a politically influential area

• It has high voter mobilisation potential

• It feels chronically ignored by authorities

• It shapes larger urban political sentiment

• It can swing municipal and Assembly outcomes

By directing cadre to prioritise downtown, PDP aims to fill the vacuum left by administrative indifference.

03. People’s Mood: A Mix of Disillusionment and Expectation

Residents of downtown often express:

• A sense of abandonment

• Anger at civic failures

• Sharp discontent over water & power issues

• Feeling overlooked in development priorities

PDP sees an opening here.
If it can visibly address even small neighbourhood concerns — drainage cleaning, street-light repair, traffic complaints — it could rebuild perception as a party close to the people.

Reading the Political Context: Why Mehbooba’s Statement Matters Now

01. Opposition Positioning

Criticising the government is standard politics — but Mehbooba Mufti’s timing elevates its significance.

As ULB elections near:

• PDP wants to be seen as the first responder

• The party is looking to revive its cadre morale

• Mehbooba is repositioning PDP as the people’s advocate

• The statement helps draw a political contrast with the ruling side

02. Public Trust Deficit with Institutions

Across Kashmir, many citizens feel:

• Bureaucratic officials are inaccessible

• Government departments move too slowly

• Grievance redress is ineffective

• Political leaders are side-lined

• Local issues take months to resolve

Mehbooba Mufti’s critique taps directly into this trust deficit.

It signals:

“Someone is listening. Someone will show up.”

03. PDP’s Attempt to Reclaim Narrative Space

Since 2019, PDP’s political bandwidth has been constrained by:

• Reorganisation of J&K

• Detentions

• A heavily bureaucratic governance structure

• Shrinking political space

• Loss of cadre morale

This renewed grassroots strategy serves to:

• Rebuild narrative control

• Reclaim political agency

• Restore PDP’s image as a street-connected party

• Communicate relevance to young voters

Electoral Angle: Municipal Polls and the Stakes Ahead

01. ULB Elections as Political Testing Ground

Municipal elections are less about power and more about perception.

For PDP, they are:

• A chance to measure organisational strength

• A test of public trust after years of political turbulence

• An opportunity to re-establish visibility

• A platform to build momentum before Assembly polls

02. PDP’s Urban Advantage: If the Strategy Works

If PDP’s grassroots push gains traction, it could:

• Strengthen urban micro-networks

• Build youth contact pipelines

• Rebuild ward-level organisational structures

• Increase visibility against rivals

• Consolidate support in historically PDP-leaning pockets

03. Competition Ahead: A Crowded Field

In ULB elections, PDP will face:

• National Conference (NC)

• Apni Party

• Peoples Conference

• Independents

• Local civil-society backed candidates

• New aspirants entering local politics

The fight will be tight.
Ground machinery — not rhetoric — will determine outcomes.

Mehbooba’s directive is therefore not just commentary, but preparation.

Beyond Elections: What PDP’s Strategy Says About Kashmir’s Political Future

01. A Shift Toward Community Politics

Mehbooba Mufti’s message signals a transition:

From:

• Big rallies

• Press statements

• Top-down messaging

To:

• Ward visits

• Community grievance cells

• Local engagement

• Neighbourhood-level mobilisation

This mirrors political strategies used by major movements worldwide:
Winning by winning streets.

02. An Attempt to Rebuild PDP’s Post-2019 Identity

PDP’s political identity took major hits after:

• The fall of the BJP–PDP coalition

• Valley disillusionment

• Leadership detentions

• Fragmentation of cadre

This grassroots strategy seeks to rebuild PDP as:

• A people-centric platform

• A party of grievance redress

• A community advocate

• An accessible political force

03. Drawing a Contrast with ‘Governance by Bureaucracy’

Mehbooba’s criticism also highlights an evolving narrative:

• The belief that bureaucrats, not elected leaders, run day-to-day affairs

• A gap between public expectations and administrative responsiveness

• The absence of political accountability in decision-making

PDP wants to align itself with those who feel left out of this system.

Will It Work? Strengths, Risks & Challenges Ahead

01. Strengths of PDP’s Strategy

• Strong emotional connection with many communities

• Established legacy of Mehbooba’s personal outreach

• Existing district-level party structure

• Ability to mobilise youth and women groups

• Natural advantage in grievance-based politics

02. Risks & Limitations

• Shrinking political space post-2019

• Organisational fatigue

• Competition from NC and newer parties

• Public scepticism about traditional parties

• Possibility of limited administrative cooperation

03. The Real Test

PDP’s revival hinges on whether:

• District cadres truly re-engage

• Party leadership sustains grassroots momentum

• People see visible, tangible help

• Public trust is rebuilt through consistent presence

Words alone won’t deliver results — street-level credibility will.

Conclusion — Mehbooba Mufti’s Offensive Marks a New Phase in J&K Politics

Mehbooba Mufti’s statement that the J&K government has “failed on all fronts” is not just a political jab — it is a strategic reset, a signal that PDP is returning to its roots:
people-first politics, street-level engagement, and community advocacy.

As local elections near, the party is repositioning itself as:

• A defender of citizen rights

• A mediator between people and the administration

• A political force rooted in neighbourhoods, not press rooms

Whether this pays off electorally remains to be seen.
But one thing is clear:

PDP is preparing for a long fight — one neighbourhood at a time.