Former J-K minister Altaf Bukhari expelled from PDP for ‘anti-party activity’

Former Jammu and Kashmir finance minister and one of the most influential Peoples Democratic Party leaders, Altaf Bukhari was on Saturday expelled from the party for “anti-party activities”.

The action allegedly came as the PDP had information that he might quit the party in the coming days. Many former legislators, including four former ministers, have already left the party after the assembly was dissolved by Governor Satya Pal Malik in November. Of them, four joined the Peoples Conference of Sajad Lone, while another former minister, Bashaarat Bukhari joined the National Conference. Two former ministers, Haseeb Drabu and Javeed Mustafa Mir, have not joined any party yet.

Bukhari had emerged as the mutual candidate for the post of chief minister after PDP chief and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti had staked claim to form the government in November last year with the support of National Conference and the Congress legislators. However since the past two months, he was not attending party meetings and even skipped the rally which was held at Bijbhera on January 7 on the third anniversary of party founder Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s death.

It was this this rally that Mehbooba Mufti, without naming Bukhari, blamed him and other leaders for trying to form a government when the party was negotiating with the Bharatiya Janata Party for return of land and power projects, and that this weakened the PDP’s position after Sayeed’s death.

A PDP spokesman said that the party had “been watching with concern the activities of Altaf Bukhari for quite some time and he thereby stands expelled from the basic membership of party”, alleging that ever since Sayeed’s death, he had been “pursuing his personal political ambition at the cost of the party and state’s interests”.

“He inspired and led dissent in the party at its most crucial stage which resulted in serious damage to our efforts at implementing the agenda of alliance of our coalition government. While the party leadership was engaged in negotiations with its partner and the government of India insisting on implementing some agreed points before forming the new government, the dissension weakened its bargaining position forcing subsequent events against its will.’’

Bukhari said he is happy that he was expelled from the party.

“It was not surprising for me. The party had deviated from its mission and I have been highlighting issues within parties,’’ he said adding that he was feeling suffocated within the PDP and had been raising issues within the party for the last two months. He also that he will decide his future political plans after discussions with his workers.

A former legislator from Amira Kadal constituency in Srinagar, he had served as roads and buildings minister, then education minister and was the finance minister when the PDP-BJP coalition government fell.

Originally hailing from north Kashmir’s Baramulla district, Bukhari joined the PDP in 2004 and was considered as close to Sayeed. He is one of the state’s top businessmen and had served as the PDP’s treasurer for many years. However, after Sayeed’s death and the Mehbooba Mufti’s elevation as chief minister, Bukhari was sidelined for sometime, but after pressure from legislators and workers, was given the important portfolio of education in the cabinet.

Of late, Bukhari has had good relations with the National Conference leadership. Recently, he had recently seconded the statement of its president Farooq Abdullah that only one party should get power.

However, there are reports that Bukhari could join a new third front comprising some former ministers and legislators who want to maintain safe distance from Congress and the NC. It is highly unlikely that he will join the BJP. His close relative and senior another PDP leader Mohammad Dilawar Mir held several meetings with former ministers Hakeem Yasin and Ghulam Hassan Mir to launch another political party in Valley.

The exit of Bukhari will be set back for PDP in Srinagar district and could lead resignation of few more senior leaders and former legislators from the party. Recently to stop the dissidence, the PDP leadership had decided to award tickets to all former legislators of the party.