Farooq Move To Accommodate Associates Of Gm Shah

The ruling National Conferences open door policy towards politicians of all hues has entered a new phase with the rehabilitation of G N Kochak, a former minister and an associate of Farooq Abdullahs brother-in-law G M Shah.

Shah had toppled Farooqs ministry in 1984 with Kochak playing his hatchetman. He was later rewarded with a ministerial berth by Shah.

Kochak created controversy as a minister in Sheikh Abdullahs cabinet for his involvement in certain shady deals.

He is now rewarded with the stewardship of the Muslim Auqaf Trust (MAT) which plays an important role in the management of shrines like Hazratbal which have traditionally provided platform to politicians.

Sheikh Abdullah developed it into a nerve centre of political control over masses during his heyday.

Kochaks latest appointment has raised quite a bit of eye-brows even within the ruling party. Though the criticism is muted, the rehabilitation is seen here as Act one of the reunion in Kashmirs first family of politicians.

Even as G M Shah himself is ruled out for a comeback for his innate vanity and advanced age, his youngest son, Muzaffar Shah is watched by political circles here as a man who could join the ruling party.

Muzaffar has always maintained close liaison with Farooq even as he had unsuccessfully fought a parliamentary election in 1984 against Farooqs nominee. He has recently been at the centre of economic proposals from a Malaysian investor and working as his local contract with the government.

Farooq recently visited Malaysia in pursuit of the proposed investment where the multi-crore group is being handled for its Kashmir part by GM Shahs son-in-law Iqbal.

If and when the patch-up with G M Shah, the main character of the disastrous 1984 toppling, comes through, it would be a full circle for post Independence Kashmir politics.

Earlier, Farooq entered into a friendship with Karan Singh who signed the dismissal orders of Sheikh Abdullah in the other watershed event of 1953. Superficially the revival of alliances might taste sweet, but whether these take care of the imponderable pitfalls of Kashmir situation will have to be watched.