SRINAGAR: Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti’s show of strength at the funeral of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee in New Delhi backfired as 12 of the party legislators stayed away.
Mehbooba had asked all his party legislators to visit New Delhi to attend the last rites of Vajpayee. She wanted to send a message, particularly to the saffron party that her party is united and majority of the legislators are with her and heed her calls.
However, the "show of strength" backfired as only 16 MLAs visited the national capital to be with Mehbooba for the funeral. It sent the signal that the ranks of rebel PDP legislators have grown from five to 12.
Among the notables, who skipped the Delhi visit include senior PDP leader and former Finance Minister Dr Haseeb Drabu, Imran Raza Ansari, Abdul Majeed Padder, Abid Ansari, Javed Baig, Muhammad Abbas Wani, Abdul Haq Khan, Javed Mustafa Mir, Asiea Naqash, Syed Basharat Bukhari, Abdul Rahim Rather and Raja Manzoor. Javed Mustafa Mir, who skipped the function, is in Saudi Arabia for performing annual Hajj pilgrimage.
Drabu was the co-author of PDP-BJP "Agenda of Alliance" framed by the two parties for running the coalition government, which collapsed on June 19 this year following withdrawal of support by the saffron party to Mehbooba Mufti led government.
Drabu has also skipped PDP's Foundation Day ceremony in Srinagar last month. The development has given credence to reports that he has joined the rebel ranks and may be behind the rebellion in the party.
Drabu is close to influential Shia leader and former Minister Imran Raza Ansari, who has emerged as leader of five PDP rebel MLAs and two MLCs.
Sources said the development has embarrassed Mehbooba and she is likely to seek answers from the party legislators for defying her 'diktats' and staying away.
They said she may issue show cause notices to some legislators to know why they skipped the function.