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Iltija Mufti, a third-generation politician of the Mufti family contesting her maiden election | Photo: Kaleem Geelani
It’s 11 am on Saturday. Bijbehara, the family bastion of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in southern Kashmir, is abuzz with loud songs and slogans blazing out of loudspeakers atop overcrowded load-carriers that follow a cavalcade of green fluttering vehicles.
This is just another campaign day for Iltija Mufti, a third-generation politician of the Mufti family contesting her maiden election. She is stepping into the shoes of her grandfather and PDP founder, Mufti Mohammad Syed, and mother, Mehbooba Mufti, both of whom started their political careers from the home seat of Srigufwara-Bijbehara. Following a door-to-door campaign, she speaks with Kaleem Geelani. Edited excerpts:
Kashmir has a long history of hostility with the electoral process. What has changed, especially against the backdrop of Article 370 abrogation?
There is more of a disillusionment now because the question the people ask is “so much was taken from us and what the mainstream could do”. This has put us in a credibility crisis. But people now understand that their vote is going to be important; it’s only politicians and parties who are going to solve their problems. They saw only the officialdom and faced red tape in the past five years. Of course that’s a source of worry for them because at the end of the day, the stakes and accountability your local representative has are far more than an officer of the Indian Administrative Service does.
The PDP has to rebuild itself. What have you done to gain support from the ground?
I’m having an extensive interaction with the people. I don’t want to come across as privileged and elitist, and that’s why I’m getting into every nook and corner of Bijbehara. In fact we’re in one of the lanes of Bijbehara as we speak. I might be from the Mufti family but I understand I’ll have to earn my respect here.
What do you make of the National Congress-Congress pre-poll coalition? Why were you, as the constituent of the INDIA bloc, left out of the coalition?
Whether we were elbowed out or cornered out, I think the coalition is a good idea.
Is your manifesto realistic, given that major powers have been vested in the lieutenant governor. Even if you are elected to power, don’t you think governance will have no big shots?
What is the job of a leader or a political party if you don’t achieve the impossible? During Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s time (as Prime Minister), nobody thought the Indian government would facilitate trade and travel with Pakistan. But he made the impossible possible. So you know in politics, you have to do what’s difficult and you’ll have to strive for that. We are at a lowest point in our history. If I don’t give people hope, then who will?
The Jamaat-e-Islami is back in mainstream politics. In the past, the PDP dominated its thin voting space. Don’t you think this will impact your vote share?
We believe the reason why Jammu and Kashmir’s history took a turbulent course is that the National Conference outlawed and criminalised the Jamaat and rigged the elections in 1987. We welcome its participation. The Jamaat has done some incredible work, such as running free schools. It doesn’t matter whether it cuts into our vote bank. You cannot be so petty in politics.
How confident are you about your victory?
Crowds doesn’t mean electoral support, you have a silent voter. But here I feel that there’s a genuine emotional connect with me.
First Published: Sep 13 2024 | 10:54 PM IST
