Mehraj Malik Warns of Maharashtra-Style Shake-Up in J&K
Jammu, October 31: Mehraj Malik, MLA of the Aam Aadmi Party, has raised fresh questions about the political future of Jammu and Kashmir, warning that the current turbulence could mirror the Maharashtra episode involving Eknath Shinde. He alleged that the BJP was trying to destabilise elected governments wherever it sees an opening.
Malik said the government in the Union Territory had sufficient backing and was not facing any immediate collapse. He acknowledged that talk of the government's fall had persisted for months, and said recent developments within the National Conference had added to the uncertainty.
He noted that the cabinet expansion itself was a routine process. However, a meeting of 21 MLAs held afterwards, he said, had turned the political narrative around. Malik said the sequence of events had raised concerns about whether the National Conference could face a similar internal crisis over leadership and organisation.
Referring to party founder Farooq Abdullah, Malik said he was proud of the National Conference, but the present situation had made people question the party's future. He claimed the BJP specialises in approaching legislators and persuading them to change sides.
The AAP MLA accused the National Conference of making cabinet choices with its own and the party's interests in mind rather than those of the public. He said reports suggested certain conditions and demands had been put before Omar Abdullah during the MLAs' gathering.
On the resignation announcement by National Conference MP Syed Agha Ruhullah Mehdi, Malik said it would be better for him to stay in government and raise questions from within. He argued that Ruhullah had been elected by the people to Parliament, where he plays an important role in raising Jammu and Kashmir's issues. A resignation, he warned, could mean a long wait before elections and a loss of representation.
Malik also questioned the decision of MLAs to meet separately, saying they could have gathered at Farooq Abdullah's residence or at the party office. He said the BJP had repeatedly claimed to be in touch with legislators in several states, including Chandigarh and Bihar, and that such developments could be viewed through the lens of Operation Lotus.
On the love jihad debate, Malik said inter-faith marriages involving ordinary people often attract protests and controversy, while those involving famous personalities rarely face similar scrutiny. Naming Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, he said questions are not raised in high-profile cases, while common people are targeted. He declined to name a prominent Jammu and Kashmir figure linked to such a case, saying he would reveal the name and raise questions at the appropriate time. He urged that ordinary people should not be used as pawns to spread hatred in society.