PDP asks for Syed Ali Shah Geelani's help; appeals to give CM Mehbooba Mufti a chance

In an unusual move, ruling PDP on Saturday appealed to hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Shah Geelani to give a chance to Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti to address the grievances of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. In a passionate appeal, the PDP said the separatist leader "must think of Mehbooba as his daughter, who also happens to be the first Kashmiri Muslim woman to lead our state".

"She is not the conventional politician that we deal with most of the times. In case, she does not bring about a change, she will be the first to own up and make way. I appeal to Geelani Sahab to give her a chance, she understands the pain and pulse of the people as she has risen from the grass roots," PDP chief spokesman and former Lok Sabha member Mehboob Beg said in a statement. 

He appealed to Geelani, who heads the hardline faction of Hurriyat Conference, to cooperate in this regard and give Mehbooba the opportunity that "she deserves".

Beg hailed Mehbooba's statement wherein she appealed to the protesters to give her a chance and said "it is only fair that she is given a chance, it is not that she is asking for the moon.

"We must give her a chance to address our grievances as we have done with leaders in the past. She is merely seeking a chance and an opportunity to perform and address the problems faced by the people, we must give her that chance and then judge her," the statement said.