Insiders said Mehbooba listened to the leaders passionately and assured them to look into their grievances.
For the first time since rebellion, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti reached out to the dissidents and met four MLAs including two rebels in a bid to reunite the party and foil the BJP's plan to poach on their leaders.
In her second leg of reach-out, Mehbooba met four MLAs –Abdul Rahim Rather, representing Kokarnag constituency; Javed Mustafa Mir, representing Chadoora constituency; Abdul Majeed Paddar, representing Noorabad constituency; and Abdul Haq Khan, representing Lolaab constituency.
Rather and Padder were among the two dissidents who had questioned the PDP leadership while Khan, a former law minister, was sulking after he was unceremoniously removed from the ministry in the last reshuffle.
Sources said the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and the dissidents put forth their grievances before the party president.
Insiders said Mehbooba listened to the leaders passionately and assured them to look into their grievances. The dissidents, sources said, assured her that they are PDP loyalists and do not intend to leave the party.
"Meeting was all about the situation after the fall of the government. There is no crisis in the PDP but grievances can be there," Rather told DNA after the meeting.
Sources said MLAs also informed the leadership about how they were ignored and gave suggestions how to raise the morale of the grassroots workers and meet the expectations of their supporters .
"We had an occasion to discuss many things. She (Mehbooba) agreed to certain points and said she would look into this. Generally MLAs and party workers have some grievances, some expectation and sometimes over expectations. Some are also genuine," said Rather.
However, the three main rebel MLAs including former sports minister and influential Shia cleric Imran Reza Ansari, his uncle and MLA Zadibal Abid Hussian Ansari, and MLA of Tangmarg Mohommad Abaas Wani did not meet Mehbooba.
MLA of Baramulla Javaid Baig, and MLC Yasir Reshi too did not meet Mehbooba on Tuesday. However channel of communication was opened with Javaid Baig after two Mehbooba loyalists MLAs — Mohommad Yousuf Bhat and Aijaz Ahmad Mir — called on him at his residence in Baramulla on Monday.
Sources said PDP has embarked on a new strategy to isolate Ansari uncle-nephew duo and woo other rebels to the party fold. "The uncle nephew duo has show their colours and realisation has dawned upon the leadership to isolate them before they create another mischief. The best way to isolate them is to bring back other MLAs to take sting out of the Ansari duo," said a party leader.
Unfazed by Mehbooba's reach out, Imran has launched a massive public outreach programme in his constituency to display his show of strength. "When Mehbooba Mufti says Delhi is doing it, does she realise that she is branding all dissenters as stooges of Delhi," asked Imran on Twitter.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "Mehbooba Mufti")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}