Srinagar: Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday cracked the whip on Peoples Democratic Party dissidents, with party's Bandipore district chief becoming the first casualty.

Mehbooba, who was dethroned last month after the BJP withdrew support to her government, is facing a rebellion from a section of her legislators who have indicated they might cobble up a political formation that might join hands with the BJP to form a new government.

Mehbooba, the PDP president, on Thursday sacked Bandipore district president Yasir Reshi and asked Baramulla unit chief Irshad Ahmad Kar to take charge of Bandipore.

PDP chief spokesperson Rafi Ahmad Mir said Reshi had been removed but did not give any reason.

Party sources said the leadership had decided to act against rebels who are unrelenting and continue to woo back those willing to be pliant.

Five MLAs - former minister Imran Ansari, his uncle Abid Ansari, Abdul Majeed Paddar, Javed Beigh and Mohammad Abbas Wani - and Reshi, who is a member of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council, have revolted against Mehbooba, accusing her of turning the party into a family fief.

Reports suggest some more MLAs from the PDP might join the dissidents. Mehbooba is on a charm offensive to prevent defections and has reached out to a number of legislators, many of whom have pledged loyalty to her. One rebel MLA, Paddar, has met her but it is not clear whether he has renewed his support.

Reshi said on Thursday that he had no problem with the PDP's decision to remove him if it was meant for the "betterment of the party", but added that if it was a punishment he would ask the party to explain if there was any democracy in the PDP. He said he would continue to be part of the PDP.

Last week, Reshi had gone public with his opposition to Mehbooba, saying he was in complete conformity with the views expressed recently by the disgruntled MLAs in favour of finding an alternative to the traditional two-family system.

"The only way out is to give a chance to a new leadership. The state needs respite from the tried, tested and failed two-family power-sharing model," Reshi had said.

He was referring to the Abdullah and Mufti families, who alternately rule Kashmir and run the affairs of the National Conference and the PDP, respectively.