Beig steps down, PDP blames Azad

The survival prospects of Jammu and Kashmir8217;s coalition government improved today after Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain...

The survival prospects of Jammu and Kashmir8217;s coalition government improved today after Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Beig stepped down from his post but the acrimony between the coalition partners, the Congress and People8217;s Democratic Party, continued unabated. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti today blamed Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad for creating confusion by retaining Beig8217;s Finance portfolio.

8220;I will submit my resignation before the Chief Minister and request him to relieve me from the post,8221; Beig said at a press conference earlier in the day, breaking his silence on the crisis that began on August 30, threatening the very survival of the four-year-old coalition.

Azad had retained Beig as Finance and Law Minister despite the PDP requesting it to retain him as deputy chief minister but strip him of his portfolios. 8220;I thank the Chief Minister for showing confidence in me by retaining him as the Finance and Law minister,8221; Beig said.

The differences between Beig and his party had been brewing over some time after the PDP found that Beig was getting closer to Azad and was not toeing the party line on a few important issues.

The PDP reacted sharply to Azad8217;s move by replacing Beig by another senior leader, Abdul Aziz Zargar, as its Legislature Party leader and demanding his withdrawal from the state cabinet. The chief minister has so far not conceded to the PDP8217;s demand.

Although Mehbooba believes the issue has been sorted out after the Congress assured her that it would not interfere with the PDP8217;s choice on its portfolios, she said Azad and Beig had violated coalition rules. 8220;There are rules and regulations which establish our right to appoint ministers for the portfolios allotted to us,8221; Mufti said. 8220;But Azad took a unilateral decision and his actions created confusion.8221; She said Azad8217;s 8220;attitude8221; had forced the PDP to talk directly to the Congress high command but the issue would be resolved soon.

Mehbooba was more critical of Beig and said he defied 8220;party discipline8221; and had wrongly advised the CM. 8220;On both occasions 2002 and later in 2005 earlier, Beig had a big role in allocating portfolios but this time we thought that his portfolios should be changed but he took an unpleasant decision,8221; Mehbooba said. She, however, ruled out Beig8217;s expulsion from the party.

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Beig, however, said today that he was not part of Azad8217;s decision to retain his portfolios. 8220;I do not believe in wrecking the PDP. I think the CM had taken the decision carefully8230;But since they PDP cannot punish him Azad, they have punished me8230;I treat Mufti sahib as my father and I will continue to have the same respect for him but they have fallen in a trap.8221;