SENIOR PDP leader and former Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig was present at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally here Tuesday, setting off fresh speculation about leaders who might join the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. One of the founding members of the PDP, Baig is a prominent Pahari leader from Kashmir. Several prominent tribal leaders from other parties have joined the BJP in recent days but, if he does so, Baig will be the first Pahari leader from the Kashmir province to follow in their wake. Baig neither confirmed nor denied whether he would be joining the BJP, asking instead: “Can’t one come to listen to one’s PM?” Describing his presence at the rally as “my duty”, he added: “It is not necessary to join, but will perform my duty as per their (PM’s) programme. Joining any party frustrates the larger goal of one nation.” All praise for PM Modi, the PDP leader said he has always had good relations with him, and that under his leadership, J&K had seen massive development; Kashmir had seen it “500 per cent”. “I have had good relations with PM Modi since I was in government (the Mufti Mohd Sayeed-led PDP-Congress government in J&K). He (Modi) never asked me about my party, but always asked what our people needed.” Baig also said that contrary to the belief that the Modi government will face a backlash in Kashmir in the coming Lok Sabha elections on account of the abrogation of Article 370, it will “perform well” in the province. Associated with the PDP since its inception in the late 1990s, Baig had developed differences with the party over tickets for the District Development Council polls. In March 2021, he formally joined Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference, only to be expelled a few months later. He “rejoined” the PDP only last month, claiming he had never left. PDP leaders were not too happy over his return as Baig was seen to have taken a position contrary to the party's over abrogation of Article 370, and was awarded the Padma Bhushan in January 2020, barely six months after the Centre took the decision. The award was accepted by Baig even when most of his party leadership including Mufti were behind bars and booked under the Public Safety Act. Asked about Baig's presence at the PM rally, a senior PDP functionary, who did not wish to be named, said Baig had never formally rejoined the party. Recently, amid problems in INDIA seat-sharing talks for J&K, there was speculation that the National Conference was in discussions with the BJP. Though senior NC leader Omar Abdullah denied it, the rumours were fanned by former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad claiming that the NC had long sought a truck with the BJP, a party it has had ties with before. Baig's move comes weeks after Parliament passed Bills extending ST status to Pahari-speaking ethnic groups and others, which was till then enjoyed only by the Gujjars and Bakerwals along with Shinas in J&K. There has been anger among the Gujjars and Bakerwals over this, but the party's calculation is that this will be offset by the fact that post-Article 370, the benefits and protections enjoyed by STs elsewhere – including political reservation – are now available to them in J&K. Recently, two prominent Pahari leaders Shehnaz Ganai and Mushtaq Bukhari joined the BJP, following in the footsteps of big names such as Abdul Qayoom Mir and Iqbal Malik.
