Govt, PDP mute to reports of Mufti's 'health problem'
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
_______
SRINAGAR, Aug 31: Even as the social media, including a section of the regular media, remained abuzz with reports of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s "health problem" on Monday, the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as well as the State government chose to remain mute spectators.
Reports suggesting imminent possibility of change of guard in the State government in the wake of Mufti's diagnosis at a Mumbai hospital were neither contradicted nor confirmed by the government and the ruling party functionaries. Government’s designated spokesperson and Minister of Education Naeem Akhtar did not respond to phone calls. His cellphone was switched off for several hours.
Directorate of Information did not make mention or clarification with regard to the reports going viral on social media and being picked up by a section of the conventional media. In around a dozen of its news bulletins issued on Monday, there was no reference to the speculations that had every potential of creating uncertainty in the government functioning and delivery.
It was reported explicitly by some agencies that suffering from a serious ailment, Mufti had begun efforts to install his daughter Mehbooba, who is currently Lok Sabha member from South Kashmir, as his successor and Chief Minister.
Even Chief Minister's Political Analyst Waheed-ur-Rehman Para did not respond to phone calls from STATE TIMES. In a Tweet, Chief Minister's Advisor Prof. Amitabh Mattoo said that he had met Mr Mufti three days back and found him physically and mentally fit.
PDP spokesperson Dr Mehboob Beg maintained that he had no knowledge of this development as he was for the whole day busy with the fourth-day remembrance ceremony of his elder sister who passed away at her home in Los Angeles, USA, last week.
General Secretary Nizam-ud-din Bhat insisted that PDP did not feel any need to respond to “rumours”. According to him, there were currently no efforts afoot to install Ms Mufti as Chief Minister.
On the sidelines of her major district level public meeting at Baramulla, Mehbooba Mufti told journalists that her father was in good health. "Didn't you people notice that he delivered a speech for half-an-hour on 15th August? Did you find any trouble with him? We cannot help, if people speculate", she asserted without categorically refuting reports of her father's health problem. She claimed that Mufti had gone to see his son in Bangalore via Delhi and Mumbai. "He is back in Delhi now and will return to Srinagar tomorrow", Mehbooba said, while scuttling further queries and diverting to other issues.
Off the record, at least two the PDP leaders said that Chief Minister had been diagnosed with a malignant health problem in USA and currently he had undergone check-up at a specialised treatment hospital in Mumbai.
STRENGTHENING FAMILY
Sources revealed to STATE TIMES that a couple of days before his departure to Mumbai via Delhi, Mufti drove all the way to his estranged brother-in-law Sartaj Madni's home and motivated him over playing a visible and active role in the party. Madni was known to be upset over being dropped when Mufti recommended nominees and distributed tickets for vacant seats in Legislative Council. Madni was earlier tipped to be elected or nominated as a member and subsequently to be elected as Chairman of the Upper House. In the last three months, he lived in total oblivion.
Sources said that Mufti was accompanied to Madni's home near Wanpooh village by his wife Gulshan besides both the daughters, Mehbooba and Rubaiya. Next day, Madni called on Mufti at his Gupkar Road residence in Srinagar. Thereafter, he resumed his political activity in his Devsar constituency where he lost in the last year's Assembly elections to the Congress candidate Mohammad Amin Bhat.
END
Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
_______
SRINAGAR, Aug 31: Even as the social media, including a section of the regular media, remained abuzz with reports of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s "health problem" on Monday, the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) as well as the State government chose to remain mute spectators.
Reports suggesting imminent possibility of change of guard in the State government in the wake of Mufti's diagnosis at a Mumbai hospital were neither contradicted nor confirmed by the government and the ruling party functionaries. Government’s designated spokesperson and Minister of Education Naeem Akhtar did not respond to phone calls. His cellphone was switched off for several hours.
Directorate of Information did not make mention or clarification with regard to the reports going viral on social media and being picked up by a section of the conventional media. In around a dozen of its news bulletins issued on Monday, there was no reference to the speculations that had every potential of creating uncertainty in the government functioning and delivery.
It was reported explicitly by some agencies that suffering from a serious ailment, Mufti had begun efforts to install his daughter Mehbooba, who is currently Lok Sabha member from South Kashmir, as his successor and Chief Minister.
Even Chief Minister's Political Analyst Waheed-ur-Rehman Para did not respond to phone calls from STATE TIMES. In a Tweet, Chief Minister's Advisor Prof. Amitabh Mattoo said that he had met Mr Mufti three days back and found him physically and mentally fit.
PDP spokesperson Dr Mehboob Beg maintained that he had no knowledge of this development as he was for the whole day busy with the fourth-day remembrance ceremony of his elder sister who passed away at her home in Los Angeles, USA, last week.
General Secretary Nizam-ud-din Bhat insisted that PDP did not feel any need to respond to “rumours”. According to him, there were currently no efforts afoot to install Ms Mufti as Chief Minister.
On the sidelines of her major district level public meeting at Baramulla, Mehbooba Mufti told journalists that her father was in good health. "Didn't you people notice that he delivered a speech for half-an-hour on 15th August? Did you find any trouble with him? We cannot help, if people speculate", she asserted without categorically refuting reports of her father's health problem. She claimed that Mufti had gone to see his son in Bangalore via Delhi and Mumbai. "He is back in Delhi now and will return to Srinagar tomorrow", Mehbooba said, while scuttling further queries and diverting to other issues.
Off the record, at least two the PDP leaders said that Chief Minister had been diagnosed with a malignant health problem in USA and currently he had undergone check-up at a specialised treatment hospital in Mumbai.
STRENGTHENING FAMILY
Sources revealed to STATE TIMES that a couple of days before his departure to Mumbai via Delhi, Mufti drove all the way to his estranged brother-in-law Sartaj Madni's home and motivated him over playing a visible and active role in the party. Madni was known to be upset over being dropped when Mufti recommended nominees and distributed tickets for vacant seats in Legislative Council. Madni was earlier tipped to be elected or nominated as a member and subsequently to be elected as Chairman of the Upper House. In the last three months, he lived in total oblivion.
Sources said that Mufti was accompanied to Madni's home near Wanpooh village by his wife Gulshan besides both the daughters, Mehbooba and Rubaiya. Next day, Madni called on Mufti at his Gupkar Road residence in Srinagar. Thereafter, he resumed his political activity in his Devsar constituency where he lost in the last year's Assembly elections to the Congress candidate Mohammad Amin Bhat.
END
OMAR ABDULLAH TWEETS
"Rumours
about Mufti Sb's ill health are rife. I hope they are wrong & pray to Allah
for his long life & good health. Allah
shafa bakshay".
AMITABH MATTOO TWEETS
"@abdullah_omar.
Met Mufti Sahib three days ago. Mentally alert and physically no sign of any
serious ailment".
OMAR ABDULLAH TWEETS
"@amitabhmattoo
that's very good to hear. Hopefully your tweet will put an end to rumours
& uncertainty".
END
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