Sartaj Madni, a senior PDP leader and uncle of party supremo Mehbooba Mufti, on Monday resigned from the post of party vice president.
The move is seen as an attempt by Mehbooba, who is the president of the PDP, to counter allegations of family rule and nepotism by rebel MLAs of the party.
Five PDP MLAs—including two Shia leaders, Imran Ansari and his uncle Abid Ansari—and several councillors rebelled against Mehbooba after the BJP withdrew support to the PDP-BJP coalition government.
After the collapse of the coalition government, the rebel MLAs accused Mehbooba of perpetuating family rule through her relatives and confidants like Nayeem Akhtar.
Abid alleged Mufti posted her relatives to top positions in her government. He also attacked Mehbooba's brother, Tasaduq Mufti, calling him a “photographer-turned family politician.”
“We repeatedly told Mehbooba there are some black sheep in the party, but she never listened to us. I was a minister, but Mehbooba neither listened to me nor took me into confidence,” alleged Imran.
Imran called Akhtar and Tasaduq as back-door entries. “PDP is a family party. Everything happens inside the family. The black sheep not only destroyed the party but also the Kashmir valley.”
After the collapse of the coalition government, BJP president Amit Shah also accused Mehbooba of discrimination against Jammu and Ladakh regions.
The resignation of Madni is seen as an attempt by Mehbooba to quell the brewing rebellion within the party.
The PDP rebels are in touch with Peoples Conference leader, and the BJP ally, Sajad Gani Lone.
Mehbooba fears the BJP is planning to form a new government with the help of the PDP rebels and Lone.
Mehbooba has been campaigning in media that “breaking” the PDP will erode trust in democracy of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
In her interviews, the PDP president pleaded that the BJP shouldn't encourage a rebellion in her party.
The rebellion in the PDP, however, is also linked to the disgruntlement of several MLAs against Mehbooba and her associates and their perceived “overarching influence” in the affairs of the party and government.
Though the BJP has denied it was planning to form a government in the state with the help of the PDP rebels, sources said the saffron party has pulled out of the coalition to assuage anger in the Jammu region where the BJP won all its seats. That the BJP is in touch with the PDP rebels is no secret either.
Madni confirmed his resignation to THE WEEK and said he would concentrate on making the party strong.