SRINAGAR

mehboola-muftiContrary to the massive reportage that Ms Mehbooba Mufti would replace Ms Najma Haptullah in Modi Government in Delhi; sources in ruling PDP rule it out. While a section believes they were not even invited to join, another section of party says even if they get a chance, they will not avail it. Party thinks seriously of protecting its home turf and does not want to help make the same argument that it discovered to bluff Omar – the poster boy of MEA in Vajpayee era. At the same time, however, party sees a sort of mess because there are to equally important claimants to power in Delhi.

JAMMU

In the ongoing budget session of assembly, speaker Kavinder Gupta had to adjourn house for ten minutes. The reason this time was different. Journalist Shyam Sunder who works with Take 1 collapsed in his chair. He was covering the session of Assembly. Take 1, owned by business man and National Conference Nagrota MLA Devendra Singh Rana, Sunder was accompanied by PDP’s Naeem Akhtar. Rushed to hospital, even deputy Chief Minister offered to take the journo outside state, if need arises.  Thankfully Sunder is fine.

ZABARWAN

Mufti-@-Tulip-GardenAfter an extended winter stint it is time for tulips. The colourful display of flowers made Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed take his wife out for first official function. Amid colourful flowers, Mufti exudes confidence of a “peaceful” Kashmir. The colour and bloom would have prompted Mr and Mrs Mufti to sing, aaj fir jeene ki tamana hai. Mufti Sahib, hope you had good time out.

LONDON

Farooq-AbdullahKashmir’s four time Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah is back. After undergoing kidney transplant in London, he was there for more than two month as a pre-requisite for post-surgery management. For the last few days, most of the party leaders have visited him to enquire about his welbeing. It is not immediately known, if at all, Dr Abdullah would return to active politics. He, however, continues to be the NC patron.

JAMMU

Karan-SinghOn Friday, six new lawmakers took oath of office as members of the House of Elders. These included two brothers Vikramadatiya and Ajatshatru, sons of Congress parliamentarian Dr Karan Singh. The former would represent PDP and the latter BJP. Political grapevine suggests that BJP was unwilling to take Ajatshatru but was “encouraged” to take him by non-party forces! There were two ‘veterans’:  Zafar Iqbal Manhas and Khursheed Aalam. But it was BJPs Surinder Mohan Ambardar who made the net difference. Attired in white Pheran, a saffron turban, rosary and rings, he took oath of office in chaste Kashmiri. An RSS ideologue, Ambardar worked as the key man during polls in Kashmir, handling the platoon of independents.

AMRITSAR

Cross-Border-TradeBarter trade has become synonym to illegal trade. This is what officials have to say about trade done at LoC. Though the aim was to facilitate connection between two sides of Kashmir, the aim seems to have been lost.  This was revealed by Amritsar customs commissioner Sunil Sawhney, who administers trade at two places; Chakan Da Bagh in Poonch and Salamabad in Uri. Now claiming to have ‘fool proof’ system, let us wait if Third country goods would stop to be part of trade.

 The statement government Friday said that Union Government has approved Rs 379.55 lakh project for the development of Khiram Shrine in South Kashmir’s Bijbehara town

 In Jammu, Leh and Kargil, a total of 25632 Village Defence Committee members are operating

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