Governance hit due to CM’s inner-party games, says NC

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, February 22

The National Conference (NC) today alleged that the PDP-BJP alliance was playing a “game of musical chairs” over the selection of portfolios and blamed it for impacting the delivery of basic governance in the state.

Junaid Mattu, spokesperson of the NC, blamed Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for being responsible for the “chaos”, adding that the “responsibility ended with her”.

“The CM can’t play these inner-party games at the cost of the common man who is being deprived of governance even though there is an elected government in office,” Mattu said in a statement.

The NC spokesperson said key departments in the state have had multiple ministers within a short period of two years. “This erratic behaviour has led to chaos and confusion in the key departments as every minister has tried to implement his own strategy and vision – which often comes at a cost of productivity and continuity in the ongoing works,” he said.

“The key public works department for instance has had three different ministers within two years. Projects and their implementation have taken a direct hit because of this. The Chief Minister is the elected head of the government and she cannot wreak havoc with the state’s institutions and administrative machinery by allowing PDP’s never-ending strife and issues to define how the government functions,” Mattu added.

Mattu was referring to the recent reshuffle in the state Cabinet in which legislator Altaf Bukhari was re-inducted as a minister.

“The Chief Minister should take a call if she wants to function as a PDP functionary or as a responsible Chief Minister who commanded the respect and loyalty of her Cabinet,” Mattu said.