Mufti meets Modi, invites Vajpayee, Advani, Azad for swearing in

PDP chief wants Sajjad out; KPs lobbying for representation in Cabinet

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

______

JAMMU, Feb 27: With the preparations underway for installation of the PDP-BJP coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir on March 1^st , Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on Friday held an hour-long meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi before he called on senior BJP and Congress leaders and invited them for the swearing in ceremony.

Accompanied by his junior party colleague and MLA Haseeb Drabu, Mufti arrived in Prime Minister’s Race Course residence minutes before the scheduled meeting of 9.30 a.m. Modi received Mufti with a warm hug. The meeting was historic as the top leaders of the diametrically opposite political ideologies had never met in the last many years, even after Modi became Prime Minister in May 2014.

The meeting gathered tremendous media attraction as the two parties had stirred regional and communal passions in Kashmir and Jammu respectively particularly during the 2008 street agitations over allotment of State land to Shri Amarnath Shrine Board and in the recent Assembly elections when PDP called for massive participation of voters in Kashmir “to keep the BJP away from power”.

While the PDP leaders had continuously ruled out power sharing with the BJP, holding Modi and Amit Shah responsible for “massacre of Muslims” in the Gujarat riots of 2001, Prime Minister had made scathing attacks on PDP, called it “baap beti ki party” and held it, along side NC, responsible for corruption and misgovernance in his Kashmir campaigning rally in Srinagar in November 2014.

Modi and Mufti, sources said, held an “informal discussion” on the general political scenario. Sources close to Mufti told Authint Mail that none of the issues encapsulated in the “Agenda For Alliance” were discussed in the meeting as all the contentious matters had been amicably resolved in an overnight meeting between Mufti and the BJP President Amit Shah.

Mufti, accompanied by Drabu, later drove to the residences of the senior BJP leader and former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, former Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani and the senior Congress and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Ghulam Nabi Azad. He apprised them of the formation of the PDP-BJP coalition government and also invited them to the swearing in ceremony being held on Sunday at Gen. Zorawar Singh Auditorium of the University of Jammu.

By an Air India flight on Saturday forenoon, Mufti is scheduled to return to Jammu where PDP Legislature Party would formally elect him leader before sending a letter to Governor N.N. Vohra, staking claim on formation of the government with the support of 25 BJP MLAs and an associate member Pawan Gupta, the independent MLA from Udhampur.

PDP’s MPs including President Mehbooba Mufti, who is staying with her father at J&K House Chanakyapuri, Muzaffar Hussain Baig and Tariq Hamid Karra are expected to accompany the would-be Chief Minister from New Delhi to Jammu.

BJP sends letter of support to Governor

In a related development BJP MLAs’ 4-member delegation, led by State General Secretary and MLA Gandhi Nagar Kavinder Gupta, called on Governor Vohra and passed on to him a formal letter of support to the PDP in the matter of formation of the new coalition government. MLAs Sat Paul Sharma, Daleep Singh Parihar and Abdul Gani Kohli were also in the delegation.

An SPG team, led by an IGP, arrived in Jammu and sealed the University premises while making inspection of different spots and putting in place necessary security arrangements for the PM’s visit in coordination with the State authorities. Sources said that the security drill would be complete by Saturday afternoon and no unauthorised movement would be allowed around the venue of the swearing-in ceremony.

Sajjad Lone’s induction blocked by PDP?

Some well-placed political sources disclosed to Authint Mail that BJP’s key coalition partner, PDP had “serious reservations” with regard to the BJP’s suggestion of inducting the Peoples Conference chairman and MLA Handwara Sajjad Gani Lone as a Minister in the Cabinet. These sources said that an uncertainty was prevailing over Lone’s induction though the picture would become clear by Saturday afternoon. Lone had stuck his neck out publicly supporting the BJP and meeting with Prime Minister Modi before the Assembly elections of 2014. His party bagged two seats of Handwara and Kupwara in tough contests with National Conference and PDP.

All the PDP leaders approached by Authint Mail maintained that they could not speak to media on any issue as the party had authorised only its chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar. He was not reachable on phone. Off the record, two of the PDP leaders however confirmed that the BJP’s letter of support did not carry an attachment of support from the PC.

Someone responded to a call on Lone’s phone but insisted that the PC Chairman could not take the call for he was “busy”. Sources close to Lone confirmed that both the party’s MLAs were still in Srinagar and neither of them had been invited or told anything about Lone’s induction in the Cabinet. A senior BJP leader clarified that none of the MLAs and Ministerial contenders in his party too had received any such communication till late this evening.

 

Lobbying intensifies as KPs seek representation

According to informed sources, neither PDP nor BJP top brass had given out any inkling of the composition of the Mufti Cabinet. Highly placed sources in BJP said that the State General Secretary (Organisation) Ashok Kaul had already submitted a list of over one dozen names to the party high command. They said that BJP’s Parliamentary Board would take a meeting, most likely to be presided over by Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, in New Delhi on Saturday and finalise the list before passing it on to Mufti and Raj Bhawan in Jammu. National Secretary (Organisation) Ram Lal would also attend the meeting.

Sources said that the final decision regarding Lone and Pawan Gupta could be taken in the same meeting. Groups of Kashmiri Pandits, sources said, had intensified their lobbying for the displaced community’s representation in the Cabinet. Senior BJP activist Moti Kaul besides the Panun Kashmir supremo Ashwani Chrangu and Surender Ambardar are understood to have been favoured by different quarters.

In PDP too, some of the leaders were reportedly projecting the names of the senior BJP leader and New Delhi-based surgical oncologist Dr Samir Kaul and eminent academician and head of India-Australia Institute Prof. Amitabh Mattoo. “Mufti Sahab is holding everything to his chest. Nobody knows who he would pick up for his Council of Ministers”, a senior PDP leader said. Prof. Mattoo did not respond to phone calls.

END

Mufti, 12 Cabinet Ministers being sworn in on Sunday

Tie between Basharat Bukhari, Bali Bhagat on Speaker’s chair

Hinna Bhat, Nayeema Mehjoor being nominated as MLAs



Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

_______

Jammu, Feb 26: Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s 13-member Cabinet would take the oath of office and secrecy at Jammu University’s Zorawar Singh Auditorium at 11.00 a.m. on Sunday---in two days of the Peoples Democratic Party patron’s much hyped meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi. Jammu and Kashmir would witness a flurry of political and bureaucratic activity Friday through Sunday as the coalition allies PDP and BJP would be formally electing Mufti and Dr Nirmal Singh respectively as their leaders in Legislature and two women----PDP’s Nayeema Mehjoor and BJP’s Dr Hinna Bhat---would be nominated as MLAs on Sunday to enable them vote for the coalition candidates in the election on six vacancies of Legislative Council on Monday.

A team of senior SPG officials headed by an IGP is arriving in the State’s winter capital on Friday exactly when Mufti would be holding a high profile meeting with the Prime Minister in New Delhi. Highly placed security officials said that the SPG team would visit the venue of the swearing-in ceremony at the Jammu University and take a review of the security arrangements related to the PM’s visit. That makes it clear that Mr Modi would be the chief guest at Mufti’s oath-taking event even as an official confirmation from the PMO was still awaited. However, highly placed bureaucratic sources in New Delhi revealed to Authint Mail that Mr Modi alongwith Minister of State in PMO Dr Jitendra Singh and all others Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha members would attend the ceremony on March 1.

On Friday afternoon or latest by Saturday, PDP and BJP legislature committees would meet separately in Jammu and complete the formality of electing Mufti and Dr Nirmal Singh respectively as their leaders in the 89-member House. This would pave the way for Mufti’s oath taking as Chief Minister. Dr Singh, however, would take oath as a Minister in the Cabinet and later designated as ‘Deputy Chief Minister’ as that position does not exist in Jammu and Kashmir Constitution.

SAJJAD LONE AMONG 12 CABINET MINISTERS

Highly placed sources revealed to Authint Mail that the PDP team of the Cabinet Ministers would include chief spokesperson and MLC Naeem Akhtar Andrabi, MLA Rajpora and former Chairman of J&K Bank Haseeb Drabu, MLA Bijbehara Abdul Rehman Veeri, MLA Lolab Abdul Haq Khan, MLA Amirakadal Syed Altaf Bukhari and MLA Darhal Choudhary Zulfikar. In case the coalition partners agree on oath taking of seven or eight ministers of either side on Sunday, which was under consideration till late on Thursday, PDP’s MLA of Pattan and young Shia leader Imran Raza Ansari and MLA Chadoura Javed Mustafa Mir could also be sworn in on March 1.

Sources said that one among MLA Hazratbal Asea Naqash and MLA Sonwar Mohammad Ashraf Mir, one among MLA Noorabad Abdul Majeed Paddar and MLA Pulwama Mohammad Khalil Bandh, besides MLA from Zanskar Syed Mohammad Baqir Rizvi, would be inducted as Ministers of State in the PDP quota subsequently.

In the PDP team, Altaf Bukhari, Haseeb Drabu and Imran Ansari are the debutant MLAs while as Abdul Haq Khan, Javed Mustafa Mir, Abdul Rehman Veeri and Choudhary Zulfikar have been PDP’s MLAs in the past for one or more terms. Mr Veeri has served as Minister of State for Home and Javed Mustafa as MoS Power in the 2002-2008 PDP-Congress government when Mufti and Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad functioned as Chief Ministers by rotation.

BASHARAT BUKHARI, BALI BHAGAT FRONT-RUNNERS FOR SPEAKER’S CHAIR

Sources said that PDP’s second-time MLA from Sangrama Syed Basharat Bukhari and BJP’s MLA from Raipur-Domana Bali Bhagat were the top contenders for the post of Speaker of Legislative Assembly. In case Bukhari for PDP gets Speakership, the coveted post of Chairman Legislative Council would go to the BJP. However, if PDP prefers Chairman’s post between the two, Mufti’s brother-in-law and former two-time MLA of Devsar Mohammad Sartaj Madani, who lost to Congress party’s Mohammad Amin Bhat in the third election in 2014, could be one among the four nominated MLCs of PDP quota and obviously the new Chairman of Upper House. Madni has also served as Deputy Speaker in Assembly. In the event of this settlement, BJP’s Bali Bhagat, who was MLA from Ramban in 1996-2002, could be the new Speaker.

NAYEEMA, HINNA BEING NOMINATED AS MLAs

According to these sources, BBC’s and Akashvani’s former broadcaster Nayeema Ahmad Mehjoor, who has joined PDP last year, and dental surgeon-turned-BJP activist Dr Hinna Bhat, who lost to PDP’s Altaf Bukhari in Amirakadal in recent Assembly elections, would be recommended by Chief Minister as nominated MLAs and Governor N.N. Vohra would issue a notification on Sunday afternoon. This would enable the two nominated MLAs to cast their vote in favour of the ruling coalition candidates in the Legislative Council election on four seats in Jammu and two seats in Kashmir divisions being held on March 2.

Induction of Ms Mehjoor and Ms Bhat would take the number of the coalition members and their allies to 59. While as the PDP-BJP combine could clearly bag three of the four Jammu seats, Opposition National Conference-Congress alliance candidate Sajjad Kichloo is tipped to win the fourth seat with the advantage of 27 to 30 members.

In the only crucial contest on the two Kashmir seats, PDP’s Saifuddin Bhat is likely to get 30 ‘First Preference’ votes of the ruling coalition. In case, NC-Congress succeeds to get 30 seats---including those of CPM’s Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, PDF’s Hakeem Yasin and independent MLA Engineer Rashid---like in the recent Rajya Sabha election when Ghulam Nabi Azad was elected, NC’s Qaisar Jamsheed Lone would be the winner on the second seat. However, if the ruling coalition got the two women activists nominated as MLAs and also engineers abstention of Rashid or Hakeem, there could be a tie between the ruling coalition’s Mirchal and NC’s Jamsheed Lone which would be broken by draw of lots. But if both Rashid and Hakeem abstain, both the seats would be bagged by the PDP.

BJP's CABINET TEAM

While as Dr Nirmal Singh, a retired professor of Jammu University, is tipped to be the Deputy Chief Minister, others being inducted into the Cabinet include former State Health Minister Lal Singh, MLA of Gandhi Nagar Kavinder Gupta, MLA of Kishtwar Sunil Kumar Sharma, MLA of Suchetgarh Choudhary Sham Lal besides Pawan Gupta, a BJP rebel who contested and won as an independent candidate in Udhampur.

Peoples Conference chairman and MLA of Handwara Sajjad Gani Lone is also tipped to be inducted as a Cabinet Minister in the BJP quota. One of the senior BJP leaders said that his party would get an additional Cabinet berth in case the Speaker’s chair would be conceded to PDP even as almost everything was being shared on “fifty fifty basis".

END

PDP-BJP 'alliance' runs into rough weather over delimitation issue

https://www.authintmail.com/2015/kashmir/pdp-bjp-alliance-runs-rough-weather-over-delimitation-issue-192604

BY AHMED ALI FAYYAZ
FEBRUARY 24, 2015

JAMMU -- Even as all the "crucial issues" have been resolved between the People's Democratic Party and the BJP, the latter's insistence on fresh delimitation of the assembly constituencies in Jammu has emerged as a major hiccup over government formation in the region.

Highly placed sources in New Delhi disclosed to Authint Mail on Monday that the PDP patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed could be sworn in as chief minister on March 1 but the issue of fresh delimitation in Jammu, which has been strongly pursued by the BJP high command, had yet again cast the clouds of uncertainty over the new coalition.

The BJP high command, according to sources, was strongly insisting on what it calls "rationalisation" of the assembly segments. While referring to the population size in Kashmir and Jammu divisions, the BJP has pointed out to the PDP that the previous delimitation, which added 11 seats to the 76-member House in 1995-96, was "remarkably disproportionate".

In the 87-member assembly after 1996, Kashmir valley of 10 districts and almost the same number of voters as in Jammu has 46 segments. Jammu division with 10 districts has only 37 seats. All the Jammu-based parties, particularly BJP and Bhim Singh's National Panthers Party, have been demanding fresh delimitation and increase of nine segments.

During the current talks, the BJP leaders have pointed out that in over a dozen segments in Jammu division, the number of voters was between hundred thousand and hundred fifty thousand.

On the contrary, source said, the BJP leaders have pointed out that only a few segments in Kashmir had over one lakh voters.

Some segments like Sangrama, Gurez and Karnah have just 13,000 or 30,000 voters as compared to over hundred fifty thousand in three segments of Jammu district," a BJP leader said.

On the pattern of a freeze of the Lok Sabha constituencies till 2026, the J&K legislature had put an embargo on delimitation of assembly segments for an equal period during the National Conference-Congress government headed by Omar Abdullah.

The BJP, according to the sources, wants to unfreeze it with the collaboration of PDP.

However, Mufti is understood to have communicated to the BJP that the PDP would "in no circumstances" collaborate in increasing of the proposed nine seats in Jammu as it could be exploited not only by his mainstream competitor National Conference but also the separatist opposition.

Nevertheless, source said, the PDP is inclined to proportional increase of eight seats, four each in Kashmir and Jammu divisions. "We cannot give up on our claim of rotational chief ministership for nothing. Rationally, the BJP must get some vital dividends if it surrenders on the claim of giving the state its first chief minister from Jammu", said a senior BJP leader.

He pointed out that the number of the seats in the state assembly won by the BJP and its allies is 28, just one short of the PDP. He said a fresh hiccup had surfaced which was being resolved.

About the portfolio distribution, a BJP leader claimed that PDP had agreed to give the key portfolios of Planning & Development as well as Finance to the BJP.

Two of the senior PDP leaders, believed to be privy to the talks with BJP, confirmed that "fresh hiccup" has delayed constitution of the new government.

He said that today's scheduled meeting of the PDP team - Mehbooba Mufti, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, Haseeb Drabu - with the BJP President Amit Shah did not materialise.

"This delimitation issue could be one of the reasons, though the BJP chief was preoccupied with a heavy schedule on the first day of the parliament session".

MINISTERIAL PROBABLES

A source in the BJP's state insisted that all the critical issues had been resolved and the new cabinet of 12 ministers - six each from BJP and PDP - could be sworn in on March 1. They said that 12 more ministers from the two parties could be sworn in subsequently.

According to the source, BJP's Dr Nirmal Singh, Kavinder Gupta, Sukhnandan Chowdhary, Lal Singh, Bali Bhagat, Ravinder Raina and Abdul Gani Kohli had been shortlisted while as PDP could be represented by Naeem Akhtar, Altaf Bukhari, Haseeb Drabu, Abdul Rehman Veeri, Abdul Haq Khan, one among Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Javed Mustafa Mir besides Aesia Naqash, Imran Raza Ansari, Choudhary Zulfikar, Anayat Ali and Vikramadatya.

END

PDP-BJP valentine unlikely this week

Voices against tie-up with BJP get stronger in PDP after Delhi results

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

______

JAMMU, Feb 12: BJP’s near-total rout in the Delhi Assembly elections, coupled with fresh border skirmishes in Jammu and complete shutdown in the valley on execution anniversaries of Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat on February 9th and 11th, have made the prospects of government formation between PDP and BJP bleak in Jammu and Kashmir---at least for the much awaited Valentine week.

Even as everybody other than the authorised spokespersons in the two parties is tight-lipped on the subject, one of the senior PDP leaders wishing anonymity disclosed to Authintmail that a host of recent developments had strengthened those who in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s party were not in favour of forging a coalition with Narendra Modi’s party and the government.

“PDP has the brightest prospects of emerging like Kejriwal’s Aam Aadmi Party in J&K. It has risen from one to 16 to 28 since 2002. During the same period, National Conference under Omar Abdullah’s leadership has fallen from 58 to 28 to 15. It has been completely wiped out from both Houses of Parliament where we have five MPs today. So clearly our arch rival on the mainstream political firmament is facing extinction. But if we became bedfellows with the RSS-led BJP, it will be suicidal for PDP and NC could stage a comeback in the next Assembly elections whenever those are held”, said the senior PDP leader who has been returned three times in a row since 2002.

“Mufti Sahab has rightly advised Mr Modi and the BJP to take a lesson from the Delhi elections. But we think we in PDP have to take two: Kejriwal didn’t care a bit about flow of funds from the Centre. He categorically refused to accept BJP’s support. He demonstrated spectacular self-confidence, patience and perseverance and waited for a year until he demolished both BJP as well as Congress at the hustings in the Union capital. On the other hands, J&K leaders like Farooq Abdullah and Mufti Sahab have said publicly that partnership with the Central ruling party was a must to ensure flow of funds from New Delhi. They want to grab power by hook or by crook. Their politics is clearly an antithesis of AAP’s theory and practical”, said the PDP leader.

On the other hand, men of consequence in Mr Sayeed’s organisation insist that “good and transparent governance”---which they claim Mufti’s government could provide---was the only answer to all uncertainty in Kashmir. “Mufti Sahab knows it well that politics is not just contesting the elections and winning the seats. Making a government is its first and last goal. If we don’t grab this opportunity even after bagging 28 seats and emerging as the single largest party, and fail to form the government, someone else will. We have been in opposition in six years and we cannot afford this status for another six years. So, there should be some give-and-take and we must have a government in place as soon as possible”, said a first time MLA.

Yet another leader maintained that shutdowns and clashes, like the current one in Kupwara over an alleged custodial killing, had been happening since 1990. He asserted that such developments should not affect the morale of the legislators who have won with huge mandate in the high turnout Assembly elections. “Being in government, we can hold credible inquiries and punish the guilty. What can we do as Opposition?” he asked. According to him, there was no going back for Mufti after PDP and BJP contested the Rajya Sabha elections in partnership against the NC-Congress combination.

“PDP has become bedfellow with BJP the day we contested the Rajya Sabha elections together. In fact in the Assembly elections too, there was an understanding to help each other between the two parties. In five segments like Kishtwar (where BJP candidate got 2800 votes in the fully Muslim belt of Marwa and Wadwan), BJP won because of PDP’s tactical support. We have already exposed ourselves. So even if we take a hard stand and do not form the government with BJP, we would be in a tight spot in the by-elections”, the young legislator asserted.

END

Senior IPS officer threatened J&K MLA: "If you don't abstain or vote for BJP, CBI will reopen Srinagar sex scandal case"

https://www.authintmail.com/2015/kashmir/am-exclusive-ips-official-threatened-mla-defeat-me-says-ghulam-nabi-azad-185322


Ahmed Ali Fayyaz
_________
JAMMU, Feb 8: Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was elected on one of the four vacant seats for the Upper House from Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, is lodging a written complaint with the President of India as well as the Election Commission of India against a senior Indian Police Service [IPS] officer for an alleged attempt of “coercion and intimidation” in the February 7th election. The IPS officer had allegedly attempted to intimidate an independent MLA for the purpose of seeking his vote for the ruling BJP.

Sources privy to the purported development disclosed to Authintmail that the senior Police official had established contact with an independent MLA and made it clear to him that that the CBI would be “forced” to reopen the case of his alleged involvement in the infamous Srinagar Sex Scandal of 2006 on the basis of a direction of the Division Bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Name of the MLA, who also functioned as a Cabinet Minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP-Congress coalition government in 2002-2005, figures among the 15 persons whose involvement in the sex scandal had been mentioned by some victims and witnesses during their statements before the investigators and a judge. However, the CBI did not act on the direction, concluded the investigation and filed the chargesheets against a select group of the accused who included senior officials, legislators and two former Ministers.

Exactly when different political parties were making strenuous efforts to rope in two particular independent MLAs holding key to Mr Azad’s victory or defeat, a senior Police official allegedly advised one or both the members to either abstain from the voting or vote for a BJP candidate. This would have obviously ensured Mr Azad’s defeat and victory of the BJP candidate.

However, as soon as one of the two MLAs narrated the whole story to senior Congress leader and expressed his helplessness, Mr Azad attempted to ensure him that the CBI could not reopen a closed criminal case until there were substantial evidences or a direction from the Supreme Court of India like in an old matter against the BJP leader Amit Shah. Even Mr Shah was later exonerated by the court.

The visibly perturbed MLA, according to sources, was not satisfied. Thereupon, late on Friday night, Mr Azad called senior Supreme Court of India advocate KTS Tulsi who assured him on telephone from New Delhi that CBI could not be “forced” by any authority to reopen the closed criminal case against the J&K legislator. Thereafter, the MLA decided to vote for Mr Azad.

In order to ensure that there was no fresh attempt to intimidate or bribe the MLA or cause his absence, Mr Azad immediately issued a statement threatening to expose the “senior IPS officers” and get them punished under law of the land. He alleged in the statement that the BJP was adopting “unethical and undemocratic methods for coaxing, cajoling and coercing” the J&K legislators to seek their vote. He said such a tendency to “manipulate and subvert the democratic process is illegitimate, undemocratic and unethical.”

Mr Azad added: “The way MLAs are being chased by the leaders of so-called party with a difference, has exposed its democratic credentials. The way a section of top officials of the State, especially senior IPS officers are being used to garner support for BJP candidates in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections, is unprecedented and dangerous for the normal functioning of the democratic process in the State. I know the officers who are chasing the MLAs to seek support for the BJP and their names will be forwarded to the Election Commission of India and the Governor.”

Bureaucratic sources disclosed that Mr Azad’s statement created ripples in the Prime Minister’s Office which took a serious note. As part of the damage control exercise, senior officials in Ministry of Home Affairs and the Central intelligence agencies were directed to ensure that nobody made any interference with the conduct of the Rajya Sabha elections in the politically sensitive northern border State where the common people have reposed faith in the democratic processes and institutions with their massive participation in the recent Assembly elections.

“Clear instructions were passed to all the security and intelligence agencies that they should refrain from resorting to any sort of horse-trading or influence on the independent MLAs for the crucial Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir”, a New Delhi datelined report in Greater Kashmir, quoting highly placed but unnamed “sources in Government of India” said.

“They said that it was generally believed that the independent MLAs could be influenced in order to secure votes for BJP candidates. However, Prime Minister’s Office had about two days back issued directives to the agencies. They were asked not to use any kind of influence even if BJP leadership in the State wanted them t0”, said the report quoting anonymous sources


BJP calls it rubbish

The BJP spokesperson in J&K Khalid Jehangir dismissed Mr Azad’s allegation as “rubbish”, claiming credit that the BJP under Narendra Modi’s leadership had restored sanctity and credibility of the Indian democratic process after a long time.

“Rigging the polls, bribing and intimidating the candidates and the voters and misusing the official machinery have been all characteristic of the Congress in the last over 60 years. Be that 1972, 1977 or 1989, polls in J&K were rigged and manipulated only by Congress. Even in the previous Rajya Sabha elections, it was Congress that misused the official machinery”, Mr Jehangir asserted. He said that levelling unsubstantiated allegations, that could undermine the credibility of the democratic institutions in J&K, was not expected from a leader of Mr Azad’s stature and seniority. “Had the BJP used such influences, we could have swept the Assembly polls in Kashmir valley. The BJP government made it a point that there was no interference from any agency”.

 END

Azad to lodge complaint of “coercion” with President, ECI

IPS official threatened MLA: “If you don’t abstain or vote for BJP, CBI will reopen Srinagar sex scam case”

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

_________

JAMMU, Feb 8: Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was elected on one of the four vacant seats for the Upper House from Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, is lodging a written complaint with the President of India as well as the Election Commission of India against a senior Indian Police Service [IPS] officer for an alleged attempt of “coercion and intimidation” in the February 7^th election. The IPS officer had allegedly attempted to intimidate an independent MLA for the purpose of seeking his vote for the ruling BJP.

Sources privy to the purported development disclosed to Authintmail that the senior Police official had established contact with an independent MLA and made it clear to him that that the CBI would be “forced” to reopen the case of his alleged involvement in the infamous Srinagar Sex Scandal of 2006 on the basis of a direction of the Division Bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Name of the MLA, who also functioned as a Cabinet Minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP-Congress coalition government in 2002-2005, figures among the 15 persons whose involvement in the sex scandal had been mentioned by some victims and witnesses during their statements before the investigators and a judge. However, the CBI did not act on the direction, concluded the investigation and filed the chargesheets against a select group of the accused who included senior officials, legislators and two former Ministers.

Exactly when different political parties were making strenuous efforts to rope in two particular independent MLAs holding key to Mr Azad’s victory or defeat, a senior Police official allegedly advised one or both the members to either abstain from the voting or vote for a BJP candidate. This would have obviously ensured Mr Azad’s defeat and victory of the BJP candidate.

However, as soon as one of the two MLAs narrated the whole story to senior Congress leader and expressed his helplessness, Mr Azad attempted to ensure him that the CBI could not reopen a closed criminal case until there were substantial evidences or a direction from the Supreme Court of India like in an old matter against the BJP leader Amit Shah. Even Mr Shah was later exonerated by the court.

The visibly perturbed MLA, according to sources, was not satisfied. Thereupon, late on Friday night, Mr Azad called senior Supreme Court of India advocate KTS Tulsi who assured him on telephone from New Delhi that CBI could not be “forced” by any authority to reopen the closed criminal case against the J&K legislator. Thereafter, the MLA decided to vote for Mr Azad.

In order to ensure that there was no fresh attempt to intimidate or bribe the MLA or cause his absence, Mr Azad immediately issued a statement threatening to expose the “senior IPS officers” and get them punished under law of the land. He alleged in the statement that the BJP was adopting “unethical and undemocratic methods for coaxing, cajoling and coercing” the J&K legislators to seek their vote. He said such a tendency to “manipulate and subvert the democratic process is illegitimate, undemocratic and unethical.”

Mr Azad added: “The way MLAs are being chased by the leaders of so-called party with a difference, has exposed its democratic credentials. The way a section of top officials of the State, especially senior IPS officers are being used to garner support for BJP candidates in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections, is unprecedented and dangerous for the normal functioning of the democratic process in the State.  I know the officers who are chasing the MLAs to seek support for the BJP and their names will be forwarded to the Election Commission of India and the Governor.”

Bureaucratic sources disclosed that Mr Azad’s statement created ripples in the Prime Minister’s Office which took a serious note. As part of the damage control exercise, senior officials in Ministry of Home Affairs and the Central intelligence agencies were directed to ensure that nobody made any interference with the conduct of the Rajya Sabha elections in the politically sensitive northern border State where the common people have reposed faith in the democratic processes and institutions with their massive participation in the recent Assembly elections.

“Clear instructions were passed to all the security and intelligence agencies that they should refrain from resorting to any sort of horse-trading or influence on the independent MLAs for the crucial Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir”,  a New Delhi datelined report in Greater Kashmir, quoting highly placed but unnamed “sources in Government of India” said.

“They said that it was generally believed that the independent MLAs could be influenced in order to secure votes for BJP candidates. However, Prime Minister’s Office had about two days back issued directives to the agencies. They were asked not to use any kind of influence even if BJP leadership in the State wanted them t0”, said the report quoting anonymous sources

BJP calls it rubbish

The BJP spokesperson in J&K Khalid Jehangir dismissed Mr Azad’s allegation as “rubbish”, claiming credit that the BJP under Narendra Modi’s leadership had restored sanctity and credibility of the Indian democratic process after a long time.

“Rigging the polls, bribing and intimidating the candidates and the voters and misusing the official machinery have been all characteristic of the Congress in the last over 60 years. Be that 1972, 1977 or 1989, polls in J&K were rigged and manipulated only by Congress. Even in the previous Rajya Sabha elections, it was Congress that misused the official machinery”, Mr Jehangir asserted. He said that levelling unsubstantiated allegations, that could undermine the credibility of the democratic institutions in J&K, was not expected from a leader of Mr Azad’s stature and seniority. “Had the BJP used such influences, we could have swept the Assembly polls in Kashmir valley. The BJP government made it a point that there was no interference from any agency”.

END

Azad to lodge complaint of “coercion” with President, ECI

IPS official threatened MLA: “If you don’t abstain or vote for BJP, CBI will reopen Srinagar sex scam case”

Ahmed Ali Fayyaz

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JAMMU, Feb 8: Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad, who was elected on one of the four vacant seats for the Upper House from Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, is lodging a written complaint with the President of India as well as the Election Commission of India against a senior Indian Police Service [IPS] officer for an alleged attempt of “coercion and intimidation” in the February 7^th election. The IPS officer had allegedly attempted to intimidate an independent MLA for the purpose of seeking his vote for the ruling BJP.

Sources privy to the purported development disclosed to Authintmail that the senior Police official had established contact with an independent MLA and made it clear to him that that the CBI would be “forced” to reopen the case of his alleged involvement in the infamous Srinagar Sex Scandal of 2006 on the basis of a direction of the Division Bench of Jammu and Kashmir High Court. Name of the MLA, who also functioned as a Cabinet Minister in Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP-Congress coalition government in 2002-2005, figures among the 15 persons whose involvement in the sex scandal had been mentioned by some victims and witnesses during their statements before the investigators and a judge. However, the CBI did not act on the direction, concluded the investigation and filed the chargesheets against a select group of the accused who included senior officials, legislators and two former Ministers.

Exactly when different political parties were making strenuous efforts to rope in two particular independent MLAs holding key to Mr Azad’s victory or defeat, a senior Police official allegedly advised one or both the members to either abstain from the voting or vote for a BJP candidate. This would have obviously ensured Mr Azad’s defeat and victory of the BJP candidate.

However, as soon as one of the two MLAs narrated the whole story to senior Congress leader and expressed his helplessness, Mr Azad attempted to ensure him that the CBI could not reopen a closed criminal case until there were substantial evidences or a direction from the Supreme Court of India like in an old matter against the BJP leader Amit Shah. Even Mr Shah was later exonerated by the court.

The visibly perturbed MLA, according to sources, was not satisfied. Thereupon, late on Friday night, Mr Azad called senior Supreme Court of India advocate KTS Tulsi who assured him on telephone from New Delhi that CBI could not be “forced” by any authority to reopen the closed criminal case against the J&K legislator. Thereafter, the MLA decided to vote for Mr Azad.

In order to ensure that there was no fresh attempt to intimidate or bribe the MLA or cause his absence, Mr Azad immediately issued a statement threatening to expose the “senior IPS officers” and get them punished under law of the land. He alleged in the statement that the BJP was adopting “unethical and undemocratic methods for coaxing, cajoling and coercing” the J&K legislators to seek their vote. He said such a tendency to “manipulate and subvert the democratic process is illegitimate, undemocratic and unethical.”

Mr Azad added: “The way MLAs are being chased by the leaders of so-called party with a difference, has exposed its democratic credentials. The way a section of top officials of the State, especially senior IPS officers are being used to garner support for BJP candidates in the forthcoming Rajya Sabha elections, is unprecedented and dangerous for the normal functioning of the democratic process in the State.  I know the officers who are chasing the MLAs to seek support for the BJP and their names will be forwarded to the Election Commission of India and the Governor.”

Bureaucratic sources disclosed that Mr Azad’s statement created ripples in the Prime Minister’s Office which took a serious note. As part of the damage control exercise, senior officials in Ministry of Home Affairs and the Central intelligence agencies were directed to ensure that nobody made any interference with the conduct of the Rajya Sabha elections in the politically sensitive northern border State where the common people have reposed faith in the democratic processes and institutions with their massive participation in the recent Assembly elections.

“Clear instructions were passed to all the security and intelligence agencies that they should refrain from resorting to any sort of horse-trading or influence on the independent MLAs for the crucial Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir”,  a New Delhi datelined report in Greater Kashmir, quoting highly placed but unnamed “sources in Government of India” said.

“They said that it was generally believed that the independent MLAs could be influenced in order to secure votes for BJP candidates. However, Prime Minister’s Office had about two days back issued directives to the agencies. They were asked not to use any kind of influence even if BJP leadership in the State wanted them t0”, said the report quoting anonymous sources

BJP calls it rubbish

The BJP spokesperson in J&K Khalid Jehangir dismissed Mr Azad’s allegation as “rubbish”, claiming credit that the BJP under Narendra Modi’s leadership had restored sanctity and credibility of the Indian democratic process after a long time.

“Rigging the polls, bribing and intimidating the candidates and the voters and misusing the official machinery have been all characteristic of the Congress in the last over 60 years. Be that 1972, 1977 or 1989, polls in J&K were rigged and manipulated only by Congress. Even in the previous Rajya Sabha elections, it was Congress that misused the official machinery”, Mr Jehangir asserted. He said that levelling unsubstantiated allegations, that could undermine the credibility of the democratic institutions in J&K, was not expected from a leader of Mr Azad’s stature and seniority. “Had the BJP used such influences, we could have swept the Assembly polls in Kashmir valley. The BJP government made it a point that there was no interference from any agency”.

END