In a bid to prevent further split in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the organisation’s vice-president and Mehbooba Mufti’s maternal uncle, Sartaj Madni, tendered his resignation from the post on Monday.

Madni was facing criticism for his “dictatorial tendency” to run the party and not taking others into confidence, which has earlier resulted in revolt against the leadership by four legislators.

PDP chief spokesman and former minister Naeem Akhtar confirmed that Madni had resigned but said he did not give any reason, except for unity and strengthening of the party, for stepping down.

The four legislators of PDP who recently revolted against the party leadership accused Mehbooba of indulging in nepotism by having turned the PDP into her family affair.

Mehbooba feared that more legislators might desert her before the PDP’s foundation day on 28 July amid reports of the BJP cosying up to former separatist Sajjad Lone to lead some new coalition in the state.

Anger against Madni was not confined within the PDP but he had also annoyed the BJP by repeatedly claiming that opening dialogue with Pakistan and the pro-Pakistan separatists was the foremost on the agenda of the alliance signed between the PDP and the BJP.

In a bid to retrieve the eroded political base of PDP in Kashmir valley, he had made the demand several times in his public meetings at a time when separatists in Kashmir were issuing anti-India statements and Pakistan Army had killed several civilians, Army and BSF personnel by indiscriminately shelling border and LOC villages in the Jammu region.

Sources said several other party legislators during their meetings with Mehbooba had warned her that she would have to choose between her maternal uncle and other leaders to keep the party intact. They accused her of having converted the PDP into a “family raj”.

Four legislators, Imran Reza Ansari, Javed Baig, Mohammad Abbas and Yasir Reshi, skipped a meeting convened by Mehbooba last week. One of the PDP founders, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, was also conspicuously absent from the meeting. Another veteran, Haseeb Drabu, who was unceremoniously sacked as Finance Minister, was also reported to be annoyed with Mehbooba and her “sycophants”.

After the fall of her government following withdrawal of support by the BJP, Mehbooba had started facing revolt within the PDP. She warned New Delhi of serious repercussions saying many more terrorists such as Pakistan-based Salahuddin would be born if her party was split by the BJP.

Reacting to Madni’s resignation, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tweeted: “Will be interesting to see what she does with her brother whose entry in to politics she termed as a big mistake on her part.”