Rise of another dynast in Valley? Mehbooba’s daughter Iltija Mufti looks set to join politics

SRINAGAR:  The political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir is set to witness another rise of a dynast. Iltija Mufti, the daughter of PDP chief and former J&K Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, has decided to help her mother run the party weakened by desertions post revocation of Article 370.

The PDP recently released a 2.20-minute video of the 35-year-old Iltija, the younger daughter of Mehbooba, from its twitter handle with the hashtag #AapKiBaatIltijaKeSaat.

In the video, she talks about the migrant Kashmiri Pandits, the Amarnath Yatra and the closure of schools by the government.

It was for the first time since the release of her mother Mehbooba Mufti from detention that Iltija has come on the political scene.

Iltija has been active since the arrest of her mother following the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A that led to the bifurcation of J&K by Centre on August 5, 2019.

She has appeared on national and international media opposing the removal of J&K’s special status.

She also took over the Twitter account of her mother and operated it until her mother’s release 14 months after her detention in October 2020.

Iltija, who is a postgraduate in International Relations, possesses good oratorical skills. She was expected to plunge into politics sometime after the release of her mother.

However, a senior PDP leader said Iltija was reluctant to join politics until last year. Since then, however, her mother had been persuading her to join active politics.

“Mehbooba thinks that when she can appeal to the youth to join mainstream politics, then why can’t she start it from home,” said the senior party leader.

PDP sources said after her mother’s persuasion, Iltija has agreed to join politics, but she does not want to join directly.

“She wants to create her own space and have some face value in politics before plunging into active politics of J&K despite the fact that she is a daughter of Mehbooba and grand-daughter of PDP patron and former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed,” said a party source.

Party insiders said Iltija has been regularly interacting with the party’s youth leaders and giving suggestions and ideas on how to strengthen the party and increase its support base, especially in south Kashmir, which was once the party’s stronghold.

A wave of desertions hit the PDP after abrogation of J&K special status. It remains to be seen whether Iltija’s move would strengthen the PDP or further weaken it in the face of criticism about the party promoting dynastic politics.