Militant Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin has accused separatist Hurriyat Conference chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani of promoting his interests and neglecting the unity of separatist leaders in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said the accusation comes after Geelani nominated his close aide Ghulam Nabi Sofi as the leader of the Hurriyat in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, replacing Abdullah Malik.
The Hurriyat cadre across the border believe Geelani's son Nayeem, who is in Pakistan, orchestrated the move.
Malik has now broken away from the Hurriyat and floated his own outfit, they said.
Yet another faction caused a furore among the militant rank and files after which Salahuddin called Geelani over telephone and conveyed the message that he should stop promoting anyone in PoK and stop playing politics for his personal gains.
Not all is well in the Hurriyat, with senior leaders, including Azam Inqalabi, objecting to Geelani's attitude of spurning every offer from either India or Pakistan vis-à-vis Kashmir.