Bukhari elected president
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Mar 7: In more setbacks to Congress and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), their six senior leaders including three former Ministers will be joining Altaf Bukhari-led Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party (JKAP) which will be launched in Srinagar, the summer capital of the Union Territory, at 2 pm tomorrow while Bukhari was today unanimously elected as president of the party.
JKAP insiders told the Excelsior that Choudhary Zulfkar, two-time MLA from Darhal in Rajouri district and Cabinet Minister in PDP-BJP coalition Government and Mohammad Ashraf Mir, also a former Minister in the same Government who had defeated National Conference stalwart Omar Abdullah in Sonawar Assembly segment of Srinagar district in 2014 Assembly election, will be joining the JKAP tomorrow.
Ashraf Mir sent his resignation letter to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, who is under detention under the Public Safety Act (PSA) since August 5, 2019 when the Central Government had scrapped special Constitutional provisions of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated the erstwhile State into two Union Territories of J&K and Ladakh.
Number of former Ministers and ex-legislators of the PDP have already resigned from the party and will be joining the JKAP tomorrow.
Insiders said Aijaz Khan, a prominent Congress leader and three-time MLA from Gool-Arnas Assembly segment in Reasi district, who is also a former Minister and his brother Mumtaz Khan, former MLA from Gulabgarh Assembly constituency in Reasi district, will also be joining the JKAP.
Congress district president from Reasi Kewal Singh and Srinagar district president of the party Irfan Ahmed have also resigned from the Congress and will be joining the JKAP, insiders said, adding that several other leaders from different political parties were also in touch with the JKAP leadership to join the new party led by Altaf Bukhari.
The party will be formally floated at a function at Bukhari’s residence in Srinagar tomorrow followed by another function to be held in Jammu.
Meanwhile, Bukhari has been formally elected as president of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party in a meeting held tonight in Srinagar.
Bukhari’s name for the post of president of the JKAP was proposed by Ghulam Hassan Mir, former Minister and seconded by many others. He was unanimously elected as the party president.
Insiders said Bukhari could declared roadmap for the party in tomorrow’s function in Srinagar.
The meeting also finalized construction of the party.
Insiders said Bukhari-led Opposition party has decided to fight for the demand of restoration of Statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and take both regions – Jammu and Kashmir together.
The party will keep aspirations of the people of Jammu and Kashmir into account while finalizing its roadmap.
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