Chief Minister seeks opposition, separatists’ support

‘Support me and I’ll quit politics in 5 years, or bear me in future too’

Calling upon mainstream political parties as well as separatist leadership to support her, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti Wednesday said she could leave politics if she fulfills her mission for Jammu Kashmir in the five years of her government.

“If my opposition and even others who do not agree with us would be supportive of me and I fulfill my mission in next five years, I may stay home,” the chief minister said in an informal interaction with media persons at the Cheshma Shahi Guest House in Srinagar. “Otherwise, they will have to bear me in future too.”

Mehbooba, who was flanked by Minister for Education, Naeem Akhtar and MLA Amira Kadal, Altaf Bukhari besides the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) General Secretaries, Rafi Ahmad Mir and Nizamuddin Bhat said her father Mufti Muhammad Sayeed had taken the decision (of allying with the rightwing Bharatiya Janata Party despite being aware of his bad health.

“He took this decision keeping in view the mission he was pursuing,” she said. “Now his mission is a mission for me just like the flame jumpers mission is to jump in flames and the deep sea drivers mission is to dive into the depths of sea.”

Mehbooba’s father and two-time chief minister, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed died on January 7, 2016 at AIIMS after a brief spell of illness paving way to Governor’s rule as Mehbooba showed no signs of hurry in take over as the first woman chief minister of Jammu Kashmir.

She was finally sworn in as the chief minister on April 4.

“After my father passed away, you were sensitive toward my pain and were very kind to me,” Mehbooba told the media persons.

“Today is a day when we have gathered together like many times in the past but unfortunately for me, my father is not here to join this time around,” she said getting emotional.

In her choked voice, the chief minister said she was very close to her father and since 1989 had never been out of touch with him even for a brief while.

“He was a straight forward person and used to criticize me, scold me at times when I would commit some mistake and only after his bashing would I realize that I was mistaken,” she said. “Similarly, he would be appreciative of me when he I did something good which would make me feel I was on the seventh sky.”