Mohammad Aatif Ammad Kanth
Srinagar: Around 12:30 PM, a crowd of about 100 people, mostly men, gathered near a petrol pump in Bijbehara, waiting for Mehbooba Mufti, president of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to arrive, as she campaigned for her daughter Iltija Mufti, who is contesting the assembly elections from Bijbehara. When Mehbooba arrived, she stood on the floor of her black Scorpio car, leaning on the half-open window, and addressed the crowd from there.She pointedly criticised the National Conference, accusing them of being responsible for Afzal Guru’s hanging, saying, “These National Conference people are the same ones who made Afzal Guru hang,” to which the crowd loudly responded, “Bilkul.”
Mehbooba went on to highlight her and her father Mufti Sayeed’s role in restoring peace in the valley after coming to power in 2002. She emphasised that during her coalition with the BJP in 2016, she ensured the release of young boys who had been arrested and charged under FIRs during 2016 Kashmir uprising, presenting this as a sign of her party’s softer, more compassionate approach. She contrasted this with the cruelty of the National Conference, reminding the audience of their harshness compared to the PDP’s more humane governance.
Mohammad Rafiq, 60, a staunch PDP supporter from Bijbehara, said, “She reminds me of the old Mehbooba now—the Mehbooba from the ’90s who was bold, brave, and outspoken. She used to visit the families of those who lost loved ones to violence. I wish the years 2016 and 2017 could be erased from her history, because without them, she would have been an exemplary leader.”
Mehbooba started her political career in 1996 when elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir after six years of Governor’s rule. At that time there were few women candidates in the valley. One notable figure who stepped into the political arena was Mehbooba Mufti, daughter of former Indian Home Minister Mufti Sayeed. In an interview with Lallantop, Mehbooba said, “I initially contested the elections to please my father and to be seen as a dutiful daughter who respected his wishes.”
Mehbooba was nominated by the Congress from her hometown, Bijbehara, a known resistance and militant hub. Despite the risks, she campaigned fearlessly in the area. During one such campaign, militants attacked her convoy in Khiram, a village 10 kilometres from Bijbehara. The army arrested several innocent boys in response for interrogation purposes, but Mehbooba insisted on their release, ultimately succeeding. This bolstered her image as a leader who stood with the people. Later, she frequently offered condolences to the families of militants killed in encounters, earning widespread respect for her empathy and support during times of grief.
Nayeema Mehjoor, a senior journalist who has covered Kashmir for over two decades, reflected on Mehbooba Mufti’s rise in politics during a time of intense unrest. “When people were being arrested, molested, and custodial killings were rampant, and mainstream politics was heavily criticised, Mehbooba would visit the homes of the victims, offering them comfort,” Mehjoor recalled.
She believes this approach was part of Mufti Sayeed’s calculated strategy to build public trust. According to Nayeema, by sending Mehbooba to personally meet the victims of violence, especially during such a volatile time, Sayeed aimed to connect with the people on a more emotional level. Mehbooba’s courage in consistently visiting the homes of those affected by violence and unrest helped her gain their support. This, Nayeema explained, was how she managed to lay a strong foundation, particularly in South Kashmir and eventually secured her political base and played a critical role in her victory in the 1996 assembly elections.
Later the duo of Mufti Saeed and Mehbooba Mufti formed PDP in 1999 and won 16 assembly seats in 2002 assembly elections after which they formed a coalition government with congress.
Talks with Pakistan:
Mehbooba Mufti and her father, Mufti Mohammad Saeed, consistently called for dialogue between India and Pakistan, but never provided a clear roadmap or specifics about what the talks should focus on. Unlike Engineer Rashid, who firmly stated that Kashmir is a political issue needing resolution with Pakistan based on UN resolutions, the Muftis avoided that stance. Mehbooba and her party simply advocated talks with Pakistan without explaining the basis for them.
Nayeema Mehjhoor believes that Mufti Saeed, having served as India’s Home Minister, and her daughter Mehbooba Mufti never supportted UN resolutions or self-rule for Kashmir. She stated, “Mehbooba never dared to say Kashmir should be resolved through UN resolutions. She only mentioned dialogue with Pakistan but left the reasons and terms vague. It was just a political tactic, nothing more which garderned her support among Kashmiris.”
Mehbooba Mufti as chief Minister:
Though Mehbooba Mufti had promised voters that a vote for the PDP would keep the BJP out of the state in 2014 assembly elections, they later formed an alliance with the same BJP hence facing significant backlash. Despite other options, the PDP, having won 28 seats, chose the BJP, with Mufti Saeed justifying the alliance as a “paradigm shift” in Kashmir politics. However, this decision was against the popular will in the valley.
Nayeema Mehjoor mentioned that Mufti Saeed had miscalculated, believing Modi would adopt Vajpayee’s softer approach to Kashmir, which included dialogue with Pakistan. “He thought Modi and BJP would lead to positive steps for Kashmir,” she said. “Despite many senior politicians and political analysts warning him that the alliance would be risky, Mufti Saeed remained resolute in his decision,” Nayeema added.
The coalition faced challenges from the start, but things worsened after Mufti Saeed’s death in January 2016. Mehbooba took oath as the chief minister of J&K on April 4, 2016. Within three months of her tenure, Burhan Wani, a militant commander and poster boy of Kashmir’s resistance, was killed on July 8 in an encounter. His death triggered widespread protests in the valley. The unrest led to hundreds of deaths and thousands being blinded by pellet guns. Teenagers were among those killed. Kashmir remained under lockdown for months as people took to the streets, protesting India’s presence in the region.
During the unrest, Mehbooba held a press conference, accompanied by then Home Minister Rajnath Singh, after weeks of silence. She appeared furious when questioned about the killings of teenagers near an army camp. Her response, “Baccha kya army camp Toffee lene gaya, pandra saal ka ladka kya Damhal Hanji pora police station dhoodh lene gaya” (Did the child go to bring toffee from the army camp? Did the 15-year-old go to the Damhal Hanji Pora police station to get milk?) was seen as contemptuous and heartless. Mehbooba ended the press conference abruptly, stating, “What will they say to me? I brought them out of trouble,” referring to her party’s earlier tenure from 2002-2005, which saw a period of reduced violence in the valley.
These remarks deeply hurt the emotions of Kashmiris, as Mehbooba seemed to trivialise the deaths of teenagers during the unrest. Many believe this press conference marked her political downfall, as her harsh words and tone alienated her from the people, turning them against her. The incident is widely viewed as political suicide for Mehbooba Mufti who never won any elections after that press conference.
She resigned from the post of Chief Minister on 19 June 2018 after BJP’s National General Secretary, Ram Madhav, announced the end of the alliance between the BJP and the PDP.
Post-Chief Minister:
After resigning from Chief Minister post, Mehbooba once again used her familiar strategy of visiting militant families and adopting a sympathetic stance towards them, but this time it gained little traction. This was evident as she lost two parliamentary elections in Kashmir after 2018. Since then, she has been vocal in her criticism of the BJP’s policies on Kashmir.
Mohd. Yaqoob, 47, a resident of Shopian, expressed his anger, saying, “This woman, who now blames the National Conference and BJP for the suffering of Kashmiris, caused us immense pain herself. She and her father were responsible for bringing the BJP to Kashmir. As Chief Minister, she broke the hearts of common Kashmiris, especially with her ‘toffee’ remarks. We’ll never give her another chance. I’m glad she faced huge losses in the 2019 and 2024 elections and hope she never leads the region again.”
Following her defeat in the 2024 parliamentary elections, Mehbooba Mufti has stepped back from electoral politics and is now focused on campaigning for PDP candidates in the ongoing J&K assembly elections. While the party has introduced new faces like Waheed Para, Aga Muntazir and Mehbooba’s daughter, Iltija Mufti, PDP continues to face challenges, with most of its top leaders resigning in recent years. The party is struggling to regain political momentum, largely due to the 2014 controversial alliance and Mehbooba’s tenure as Chief Minister. However, Mehbooba remains confident that PDP will stage a strong comeback and surprise everyone in these elections.
“No secular government is possible in J&K without PDP’s Support, I am guaranteeing you this,” said Mehbooba Mufti in Budgam.
