Exodus continues as former MLAs quit PDP, Apni Party

As candidates began filing nomination papers for 24 constituencies which will go to polls in the first phase of elections on September 18, two former legislators Abdul Rahim Rather and Aijaz Ahmad Mir resigned from their respective parties.

Ajiaz Mir, a district development council (DDC) member from Zanipora, Shopian, was associated with the Peoples Democratic Party. He was irked by the party preferring him over Ghulam Mohiuddin despite him having emerged victorious from the seat in 2014 assembly elections.

Mir was among the few legislators who had stuck with the party amid a wave of desertions after abrogation of the Article 370 in August 2019.

Addressing his resignation, he said his supporters wanted him to quit given the “humiliation” meted out. “I was never taken into confidence about the mandate. It was a humiliation for me. It is up to the public to give power to candidates,” he said.

Mir, a young face of the PDP, had even begun campaigning but did not feature in PDP’s list of candidates.

A PDP spokesperson, however, said the party had decided not to give mandate to workers who are already holding some posts, adding, “Ajaz Mir is a DDC member and another worker was given the chance.”

Earlier, PDP chief spokesperson Suhail Bukhari and another DDC member, Harbaksh Singh, had submitted their resignations from the PDP after being denied tickets. While Bashaarat Bukhari was preferred over Bukhari for the Wagoora Kreeri seat in Baramulla district, Altaf Naik was given the mandate from Tral instead of Singh. The latter, however, was named as the candidate by the Engineer Rashid-led Awami Ittehad Party.

Another former legislator and senior Apni Party leader, Abdul Rahim Rather, resigned citing the party’s “failure” to work as per the expectations of the people. “We couldn’t fulfil the aspirations of our people,” he said.

It’s not clear where he will be joining any other political party. Rather had won 2014 assembly elections on a PDP ticket from Kokernag assembly segment and after abrogation of Article 370, had jumped ship to the Apni Party.

Meanwhile, DDC chairperson Anantnag Mohammad Yusuf Gorsi joined Apni Party.