Beigh nominated PDP patron

SRINAGAR: Founding member of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Lok Sabha member from Baramulla, Muzaffar Hussain Beigh has been nominated as PDP patron. The development comes after a series of resignations from two former cabinet ministers and an ex-legislator rocked the party.

“Muzaffar Hussain Beigh is now the party patron,” said Tahir Sayeed PDP spokesman after a meeting was convened by the party today to prevent further exodus of leaders. The meeting was chaired by Mehabooba Mufti, former J&K chief minister. Baig had earlier hinted that he might leave the party after it refused to participate in the local body and panchayat elections. However, he reportedly changed his mind and reconciled with the party position after Mufti visited his house in Srinagar last week. Baig’s wife Safeena is the president of women’s wing of PDP. The meeting was also attended by many senior PDP leaders and former legislators.

SC DISMISSES PLEA ON HOUSE DISSOLUTION

The Supreme Court on Monday dismissed BJP leader and former MLA Gagan Bhagat’s petition challenging the dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. “We are not inclined to interfere. We find no merit,” a bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul told Jaideep Gupta, counsel for the petitioner. Jammu and Kashmir governor Satya Pal Malik abruptly dissolved the state assembly, which was already in suspended animation, last month after both former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti and People’s Conference leader Sajad Lone staked claims to form the government.