PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti’s meeting on Monday with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha suggests a change in approach and realisation among political parties in Jammu and Kashmir that real power now rests with the LG, not elected representatives.
As the Union Territory continues to be governed directly from the Centre, this shift in political engagement marks a change in strategy by regional leaders seeking relevance and results.
Mehbooba met Sinha at Raj Bhavan in Jammu — her first meeting with him in nearly five years. She used the occasion to present a detailed plan for the return and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley.
Her proposals included allotting half a kanal (2750 sq ft) of state land to each returning Pandit family in their original districts, offering financial assistance or interest-free loans to repair damaged homes, and reserving two assembly constituencies for the community.
She called the return of the Pandits a moral responsibility, not a political move, and urged the government to strengthen the Prime Minister’s Special Rehabilitation Package.
The PDP president also recommended forming a Reconciliation and Reintegration Commission to ensure fairness and safeguard the rights of returnees. To rebuild trust, she suggested an annual “Return and Reconnect” summit involving Pandit families, locals, officials and civil society groups.
During the meeting, she spoke about the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, saying local people are eager to contribute to its safety.
Observers believe that after nearly five years of no direct engagement, Mufti’s meeting on Monday suggests a growing realisation among political parties that the real power lies with the Lieutenant Governor rather than elected representatives.
They opine that after Operation Sindoor, which was launched to retaliate the Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre is unlikely to concede on the demand for the restoration of statehood any time soon.
The security crackdown against separatist forces in Kashmir has gained pace post Pahalgam attack, suggesting the Centre was keen to address the security situation in Kashmir before responding to the demand for the restoration of statehood.
The meeting ruffled feathers in the National Conference (NC). Party spokesperson and MLA Tanvir Sadiq questioned the timing and motive behind Mehbooba’s outreach. “Why this sudden meeting after five years? he asked.
Sadiq also criticised Mehbooba for not taking such steps for Pandits while in office and claimed that only the Omar Abdullah-led government had made serious efforts for their return.
