Sonia meets Mehbooba, sparking speculations

Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Sunday visited PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti here to offer condolences on the demise of her father and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. 

Sonia, who arrived from Delhi, drove straight from the airport to the Fairview residence of Mehbooba in Gupkar here at 3 pm. She stayed with the PDP president for about 20 minutes. The Congress president was accompanied by Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress general secretary Ambika Soni, state Congress chief GA Mir and party leader Saifuddin Soz. 

Sonia’s flying into here to meet Mehbooba assumes significance as there are reports that PDP and BJP are bargaining afresh over the formation of a new government. 

Congress has earlier shared power with PDP between 2002 and 2008, with both parties having their Chief Minister on rotational basis after three years. They later had a bitter split in 2008. 

PDP has already given a letter to Governor NN Vohra, saying that all its 28 MLAs support Mehbooba for the Chief Ministership. But Mehbooba has reportedly said that she will not take oath till the end of mourning period for her father, which is the fourth day that fell on Sunday. Vohra on Friday had asked both PDP and BJP to convey their position on the government formation. Since BJP did not convey its position, the Governor on Sunday imposed the President’s Rule in the state. 

Union Surface Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, who too on Sunday visited the residence of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti, said it was no time to talk politics. “I have come here to convey condolences on behalf of the central government,” Gadkari said. 

Recalling his meeting with the former Chief Minister in Delhi, the Union Minister said “We will try to fulfil all the assurances given to him on Jammu and Kashmir,” he said. 

Meanwhile, thousands of people attended the congregational prayers (fateh khwani) of late Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed here in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, with his supporters weeping and praying for eternal peace to the departed leader. A large number of people swarmed into Dara Shakoh Park, 45 kms from Srinagar, where Sayeed was laid to rest on Thursday after passing away at AIIMS in New Delhi earlier that day. 

They raised slogans eulogising Sayeed. Many women were also present in the park.