EX-PDP LEGISLATOR ANSARI JOINS PEOPLE’S CONFERENCE

SRINAGAR:FORMER legislator Abid Ansari, who had resigned from the PDP, joined Sajjad Lone’s People’s Conference on Friday. He is the second legislator of the PDP to join the People’s Conference after the assembly was dissolved by Governor Satya Pal Malik last month.

Earlier, his nephew Imran Reza Ansari had also joined the People’s Conference. For the past several months, it was evident that both the Ansaris who were part of the PDP will be joining Sajjad Lone whose party is an ally of the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir. Abid Ansari was a legislator from Zadibal constituency of Srinagar district.

Abid Ansari said that he is joining the party which was founded by his brother late Molvi Ifthikar Hussain Ansari and Abdul Gani Lone. “Unfortunately we couldn’t continue with the party due to circumstances but for me it is just like a home coming,’’ he said while adding that he was leaving the PDP because of its “corruption and dynastic politics”. Sajjad Lone, while welcoming Ansari, hinted that more young leaders will be joining the party in the coming days. “Our party will contest on all 87 seats in the state. We will not form any pre-poll coalition with any political party whether it is a regional or national party,’’he added.

Another senior leader close to the former chief minister admitted that there are differences within the party. “Some leaders are trying to build pressure on the party president so they are able to get more say in ticket distribution for the upcoming elections,’’ he said.

PDP chief spokesman Rafi Ahmad Mir said the leaders who left the party have not been attending party meetings ever since the government fell in June. “No more leaders are leaving the party,’’ Mir said, though he admitted that there are difference of opinions within the party. “The

differences are being resolved and the party will emerge stronger,” he said.

To quell the rebellion within the party, the party’s founding member and Baramulla MP Muzuffar Hussain Beigh was nominated as the patron of the party and he is now trying to cement bridges between annoyed leaders and Mehbooba Mufti. Beigh who himself was annoyed and had dropped hints of joining Sajjad Lone but was later persuaded by Mehbooba Mufti after she visited his residence at Kralsangri.

Javeed Jawad, a columnist, said leaders leaving the PDP ahead of elections is an indication that it is no more a favourable party now. “Things could change when the election campaign begins. The party could even surprise everyone with its performance.’’ On Thursday in a tweet, Mehbooba Mufti said that she is committed towards rebuilding the party. “I stand firm in my commitment and resolve towards rebuilding a party I built brick by brick with my late father and its patron,” she said.