Srinagar, September 4
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to decide on its choice for the post of Deputy Chief Minister, after Mr Muzaffar Hussain Beigh submitted his resignation from the post and Cabinet to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad here yesterday. A decision to this effect is expected after Mr Azad’s return from the union capital after attending the Chief Ministers’ conference convened by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tomorrow.
In his resignation letter submitted to the Chief Minister here yesterday, Mr Beigh said he did not want any conflict between the two main coalition partners, the Congress and the PDP.
He gave three reasons for submitting his resignation from the Cabinet and as Deputy Chief Minister of the state. He already indicated this when he broke his silence here on Saturday saying that any decision to quit the party and Assembly seat, which he represents from Baramula, would be taken only after consulting his constituency.
Referring to the reasons for his decision to resign, Mr Beigh said that it was obligatory on his part as the PDP had withdrawn him as its nominee. “It would be morally and politically wrong for me to wish to remain a minister”, he stated. Secondly, he said that it was his duty to ensure that there was no conflict between the two alliance partners by his remaining in the Cabinet. Lastly, he held that it was not his goal to remain in power as he could serve the people even without being a minister.
Mr Beigh had been recalled by his party from the Council of Ministers and as leader of the legislature party following a meeting of the legislators party here on Thursday evening, two days after the Cabinet expansion. The trouble started with the distribution of portfolios as the PDP wanted to divest him of some of the portfolios as he had been in charge of Finance, Planning, Law and Parliamentary Affairs and Tourism. Mr Beigh blamed the PDP leadership of making two consecutive recommendations, first change of portfolios and then recalling him from the Cabinet.
Sources in the PDP clarified that in the legislature party meeting held on Thursday night, it was decided that Mr Beigh be recalled from the Cabinet and as legislature party leader. It was also unanimously decided that senior most Minister Mr Abdul Aziz Zargar be its legislature party leader, a senior PDP functionary said, adding that there was no decision yet on Mr Zargar being the Deputy Chief Minister.
With this the choice for the next Deputy Chief Minister remains open, while the PDP in another significant development has revoked the suspension of former Minister, Mr Ghulam Hassan Mir. He had been suspended following reports of indiscipline during the last Assembly by-elections to three seats in north Kashmir held in April this year. Mr Mir, who held the Tourism portfolio in PDP-led coalition government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, stayed away from being inducted for having been denied the post of Deputy Chief Minister in the Azad-led government. When asked about his being the choice for new Dy CM, Mr Mir said that it was a decision to be taken by the party leadership. After formally rejoining the party, Mr Mir held that during this period he had been working for the party. He added he continued to be associated with the party’s agenda “morally and ideologically”.
