Aakash Hassan
Srinagar
After the reshuffle in the cabinet yesterday, and the subsequent resignations by two ministers, the workers of the PDP lawmaker from Noorabad constituency in southern part of Kashmir’s Kulgam district have threatened that they will boycott the upcoming parliamentary by-polls and Panchayat elections if their lawmaker is not inducted into the cabinet.
Some of the workers while talking to Kashmir Life said that they are “dejected by the approach of the party and will come on roads if Abdul Majeed Padder, the local MLA, is not given a minister portfolio.”
Ab Majeed Padder was minister in the late Mufti-led BJP-PDP government and held the portfolio of Minister of State for PHE, Forest and Animal Husbandry.
However after Mehbooba Mufti took over as Chief Minister after the death of Mufti Sayeed, Padder was not given a ministerial berth.
PDP block president of Noorabad said, “Given the importance of the constituency, the local MLA has always been given a cabinet berth.”
However, the time, the party workers alleged of “indiscrimination”.
“This time it is a single seat that our party has retained in the Kulgam district and too by defeating a former minister with a huge margin,” said Shakeel Ahmad Malik, PDP block president.
The workers termed their demand as their right and said that if “party turns blind eye it can have harsh consequences”.
“Our legitimate demand should be fulfilled or we will come on streets,” said vice Zonal President of PDP from Noorabad constituency, Nazir Ahmad.
When contacted, Padder himself refused to comment on the issue but said, “This is the issue of workers who made us and party should ponder over the same. I can say nothing.”
Already two of the ministers of the PDP have tendered their resignation and all is not well in the party, the insiders say.
