Ishfaq-ul-Hassan | India Tomorrow
SRINAGAR, MARCH 8—Jammu and Kashmir is witnessing the birth of a new political party-Apni Party- today afternoon.
Led by expelled Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader and former finance minister Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari, Apni Party will be a cocktail of rebel leaders from different political parties including National Conference, Congress, and PDP.
The brand new party is aiming to fill the vacuum created by the detention of the top leadership including three former chief ministers post abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir.
Those tipped to be part of `Apni Party’ include former PDP legislators Dilawar Mir, Javaid Beigh, Noor Mohammad Sheikh, Rafi Ahmad Mir, Abdul Majeed Paddar and Abdul Raheem Rather. Ghulam Hassan Mir of Democratic Party Nationalist is also likely to join the new front.
Others who have decided to join the party include former Congress general secretary Usman Majeed; former minister and district Congress president for Samba, Manjit Singh and district Jammu urban president Vikram Malhotra, who was the Congress candidate from Jammu East in 2014 Assembly elections. Former J&K chief secretary and NC member Vijay Bakaya is also joining JKAP.
“It is to inform you that former finance minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari is scheduled to launch a new political party in Srinagar”, said Syed Basharat, media in-charge of the former minister.
The party is being launched at a time when both PDP and National Conference have decided to stay away from polls. The party is also making a debut at a time when three former chief ministers including Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti have been booked under Public Safety Act.
Kashmir has been simmering after the abrogation of article 370 and bifurcation of the state into two union territories – Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir.
Entire political leadership have been jailed since August 5, 2019. Official figures reveal that more than 5,161 people including stone pelters, miscreants, over ground workers and politicians were arrested since the abrogation of Article 370.
Sensing the anger, Bukhari tried to strike the right chords before the launch of the party by calling for the immediate release of three former chief ministers and other political workers who are detained in and outside Jammu and Kashmir.
“I don’t think there is any reason or rationale behind the continuing detention of the three former chief ministers like Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti. Similarly, other political workers, who are in jails, should also be released to make the situation more conducive for the political process in J&K,” Bukhari demanded.
Bukhari, a businessman-turned-politician, has been busy garnering the support of those political leaders, who were not arrested or released after a brief detention. Sources said he recently met BJP National General Secretary, Ram Madhav in Gulmarg. Earlier he had met European Ambassadors in Srinagar.
“Our party will raise issues like providing domicile right over land and jobs, the release of political leadership and protecting J&K Bank’s autonomy,” he said.
