Article 35A: Mehbooba leads delegation to Raj Bhavan

In a late evening development, regional PDP president and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti called on her arch-rival National Conference chief Farooq Abdullah, before meeting governor Satya Pal Malik at Raj Bhavan.

“After a brief discussion, we called on Shri Satyapal Malik ji, Governor J&K & requested him to dispel rumours that’ve caused a sense of panic in the valley. Thankful to Farooq Sahab, @sajadlone, @imranrezaansari and @shahfaesal for their time today (sic),” she tweeted after leading a delegation of mainstream party leaders to the Raj Bhavan.

In an earlier tweet, Mehbooba said, “Restive situation in Kashmir demands that mainstream parties & stakeholders come together to deliberate on the future course of action. I will be calling on NC Patron Farooq Sahab, my former colleagues @sajadlone, @imranrezaansari & @shahfaesal to discuss a way forward.”

Reports said Mehbooba reached after addressing a late evening presser at her posh Fairview residence on Gupkar Road here, dropped at the nearby residence of Abdullah to hold deliberations with him over the prevailing situation in Kashmir.

After meeting with Abdullah, the PDP chief went to Church Lane residence of Peoples Conference chief Sajjad Lone where she had a brief meeting with him before she led the delegation of mainstream leaders to Raj Bhavan at around 10 pm.

Sources privy to the meeting said the delegation cautioned the governor that any decision to scrap Articles 370 or 35A would have serious consequences in Kashmir. “Through the governor, they requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to do away with the special status of Jammu and Kashmir,” they said.