The state of Jammu & Kashmir is set to get its first woman chief minister. People's Democratic Party (PDP) President Mehbooba Mufti is going to succeed her father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who died on Thursday. One of the key architects of the party, Mufti is far from the traditional dynastic politician - she had a considerably significant role to play in furthering her party's "soft separatist" approach. Sushobha Barve, executive director of the Delhi-based Centre for Dialogue and Reconciliation, tells Shivam Saini what Mufti's prospective appointment as chief minister means for the state
How do you view Mufti in her likely role as the chief minister?
Mufti has been in politics for several years now. As the leader of a party and someone who played a major role in building it up, we have known all along that one day, if the party comes to power, she may become the chief minister. However, it is happening under not very pleasant circumstances. That, in itself, is a challenge for her, with her father's passing away. And once she becomes chief minister, she would be taking over under very difficult circumstances. She might have to face multiple challenges, but she's a woman of great courage and she has never turned back from challenges. How she would perform is something that cannot be predicted now, but I believe she will do her best to run the government.
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How do you think her style of functioning would be different from her predecessors, which include Omar Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Mohammed Sayeed? What would make her stand out?
Her father and Farooq belonged to another age altogether. And then, Omar's style of functioning was also very different from his father's. At the end of the day, one should accept that a generational change is taking place. Although on many issues, she and her party converge, but she has been known to have her own independent views. That said, she would also want to take her party and the coalition partners along.
Do you see her reconfiguring her party's politics in the Bharatiya Janata Party-PDP alliance, given her strong espousal of what many call the 'soft separatism' approach?
We should, from Delhi and elsewhere in India, stop looking at the mainstream politicians of Kashmir as being "soft separatist". It is not easy to be a political leader in a region where separatism is very much alive. Therefore, we should trust their loyalty. Mufti, in my opinion, will not compromise on the interests of the state or the country.
What are some of the challenges Mufti is likely to face once she becomes the state's chief minister?
The fact that she has never served in the government is itself going to be a major challenge for her. However, ever since the new coalition government came into power in the state, she has been close to the decision-making process of her party and the government. So, she has surely learned enough from that.
Another challenge is the economic situation that the state is facing. Also, a key issue is how the state is going to help maintain close relations between Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh. Another challenge for her, as it is for other partners in the coalition, is to be able to address issues that are likely to polarise the Kashmir Valley. We're yet to see how she will also seek the help of civil society in that regard.
Given the growing dissent within her party, would Mufti be able to keep the PDP flock together?
The fact that [senior PDP leaders] Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Altaf Bukhari went to see the governor and give the message that they fully support Mufti is proof enough that she has the backing of her party. Every party in the country, for that matter, has dissenters. So, the challenge for her is no different from what other parties face.
