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Former J&K deputy CM Baig rejoins PDP
After quitting the PDP in 2020, Baig was tipped to join Peoples Conference (PC), which never happened
Former Jammu and Kashmir deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig and his wife Safina Baig rejoined Peoples Democratic Party on Sunday in presence of party president Mehbooba Mufti. The duo were present with the PDP chief when she paid tributes to late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed on his death anniversary in south Kashmir.
Though PDP has not yet formally commented on his rejoining, the return of Baig, who was one of the co-founders of the PDP, is being touted as an important development in Kashmir’s mainstream politics, particularly for PDP in north Kashmir. Thousands of people converged at Darashako Park in Bijbehara area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag, to commemorate the death anniversary of PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his eighth death anniversary.
Baig, who was a co-founder of the PDP in late 1990s, was made patron of the party following Sayeed’s death in 2016.
A former deputy chief minister, Baig quit the party in 2020 and was tipped to join the People’s Conference led by Sajad Lone.
While Baig’s wife, Safina, did join Lone’s party, the former Lok Sabha member from Baramulla did not make an official announcement about his status
With Mehbooba Mufti by his side, Baig addressed people and assured her his support. “Earlier I used to be her colleague. Now, I am her brother and I am ready to give my life for her as a brother,” he said.
Later talking to media persons, he said that had not left the party but was “inactive”. “My heart was here and body was away… Why would I leave? Why would anyone set ablaze the home which he has built himself,” he said
After leaving PDP in 2020, he had grown closer to the People’s Conference led by Sajad Lone but was then disowned by that party. He had visited Mehbooba’s house in November last year, triggering speculation about his return to the PDP fold.
At the Bijbehara, Baig said that even his daughters were impressed by Mehbooba. “The biggest supporters of Mehbooba ji are my two daughters. Today, I would tell them that the personality for whom they would argue, she is going to again reach that pinnacle,” he said.
He praised the leadership of late Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. “He was the first Muslim home minister of India. Nobody (muslim) has become India’s home minister, except him,” he said.
Baig became estranged after Sayeed died in 2016 and differences grew with Mehbooba. He left the party, along with Safina, who was the chief of PDP’s women wing, after the latter was denied district development council ticket from Sangrama by PDP in 2020.
Safina is currently chairperson J&K Hajj Committee and Baramulla district development council chairperson.
After the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, Baig had stayed away from active politics for some years as the Centre’s move bifurcated J&K into two Union territories – J&K with a legislative assembly and Ladakh without one.
With a law degree from Harvard Law School, Baig won Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla on PDP ticket in 2014. In 2020, he was conferred the Padma Bhushan, the country’s third-highest civilian honour.
Baig’s joining PDP, which is primarily based in south Kashmir, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections is expected to boost the party in north Kashmir, where the party has lost many senior leaders in the last six years. Some of the leaders have reportedly been approaching the party to come back.
On being asked whether he would fight Lok Sabha elections from north Kashmir, Baig said: “I will fight from wherever you will give me mandate”. “These things are decided by party people. They are senior people and will decide on this,” he added.
