Srinagar: In a major setback for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti, three more founding leaders – Dhaman Bhasin, Fallail Singh, and Pritam Kotwal – resigned from the party on Thursday.
“We’ve no option but to quit the party which has been hijacked by unscrupulous, communal elements with a mysterious character,” their resignation letter stated.
“Putting our political career at the stake, we joined PDP from the very first day of its formation with an aim to provide a secular alternative to corrupt and dynast NC as late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed had vision to frustrate evil designs of communal and parochial elements but the party leadership has, unfortunately, abandoned Mufti Sahib agenda to become B team of NC,” they said in a letter.
“Apart from becoming the B team of NC, party leadership has recently given some highly provocative and controversial statements against the basic principles of the founder of the party. Keeping in view the prevailing situation, being disciples of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed it is difficult for us to work in the party which has become second fiddle to the NC. We are forced to take this difficult decision with heavy heart to leave the party which we were formed as disciples of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed,” they added.
The resignations come ahead of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir that will be held in eight phases beginning November 28.
Earlier on November 15, the founder member of PDP Muzaffar Hussain Baig resigned from the party. He resigned over disagreements over seat sharing in the District Development Council (DDC) election in Jammu and Kashmir. Party sources said that Baig has informed PDP mentor Mehbooba Mufti about the decision to leave the party.
He was associated with the party since the inception of PDP in 1998. He was angry at the seat-sharing by the People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), especially in North Kashmir. (PTK)
