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J&K: Another jolt for PDP as 3 more senior leaders quit party
Dhaman Bhasin, Fallail Singh and Pritam Kotwal alleged that the PDP has become “B team” of National Conference
Barely days ahead of district development council (DDC) election in Jammu and Kashmir and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) suffered another jolt as three senior leaders quit the party on Thursday.
In a letter issued to media houses, leaders Dhaman Bhasin, Fallail Singh and Pritam Kotwal alleged that the PDP has become “B team” of National Conference (NC). It must be noted that Bhasin and Singh were among the founding members of the PDP.
They also said the PDP has abandoned Mufti Mohammed Sayeed’s vision and that “unscrupulous, communal elements with mysterious character” have taken over.
“Putting our political career at 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 Mohammed Sayeed had a vision to frustrate evil designs of communal and parochial elements but the party leadership has, unfortunately, abandoned Mufti Sahib’s agenda to become B team of NC,” the letter, signed the three, read.
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“The 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 Mohammed Sayeed, it is difficult for us to work in the party which has become second fiddle to the NC,” it added.
When contacted, Singh refused to identify said communal and parochial elements but maintained that the party has deviated from the vision of late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
When asked if they will also join Congress, like TS Bajwa, Ved Mahajan and Choudhary Hussain Ali Wafa, Singh said they haven’t decided yet.
In October, former MP Bajwa, former MLC and general secretary Mahajan and Hussain A Wafa had submitted their resignation letters, saying that Mehbooba Mufti’s remarks had “hurt patriotic sentiments”. Lashing out at the Centre, Mufti, a former J&K chief minister, had said that she won’t raise any other flag till the flag of the erstwhile state was restored.
