PDP will be kingmaker in J&K: Iltija Mufti

Srinagar, Aug 29 (PTI) Iltija Mufti on Thursday said the PDP will emerge as the kingmaker in Jammu and Kashmir as no party will get a majority on its own in the upcoming assembly polls.

“I am very confident that the PDP will be the kingmaker in whatever situation we are. One thing is clear that no party will get majority,” Iltija told PTI videos in an exclusive interview while on campaign trail.

The third generation politician from the Mufti family is contesting the assembly polls from PDP strong-hold Srigufwara-Bijbehara assembly segment which has in the past been represented by her mother Mehbooba Mufti and her grandfather Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

Iltija said her party will fight the election so as to not cede the ground to the BJP, and not for power or numbers game, as she termed the current status of Jammu and Kashmir little more than that of a “municipality”.

“Look at it, Jammu and Kashmir had its own flag, its own constitution and residuary powers. Now the CM will be like a mayor. In such a situation, the MLA who speaks the truth will be powerful. Look at Arvind Kejriwal, he is in jail. You can understand, the chief minister of a Muslim majority union territory, how powerless will he be,” she said.

Iltija dived into politics when her mother was under detention after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 and this would be her first electoral fray.

“My priority right now is my campaign. I want to convince the people about why I am the right representative for them. For me, becoming CM is not important at all. I am very young, it sounds so ridiculous. My priority is to win these elections and be the true representative of the people,” she said.

She said that while the assembly might not have the powers that it ought to, the ongoing polls were important for the people.

“The chief minister will be like a mayor but having said that, there has not been an (elected) government for the past six years and people have not been able to elect their representatives. So this election is very important,” she said.

On the NC-Congress alliance, Iltija said “unity is the need of the hour and it is important that we all move together but that is not always possible in politics. If two parties come together, it is good for them.”

Asked if the PDP will support the NC-Congress alliance if it falls short of numbers for government formation, she said it was too early to comment on it.

“Besides, I am contesting for MLA, I am not the party president. It is better if you ask this to Mehbooba Mufti,” she said.