SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) has decided to launch a constituency-wide consultation process across all 18 Assembly segments of the Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency to seek public opinion on jailed Member of Parliament Engineer Rashid’s proposal to resign from the Lok Sabha.
The move follows Engineer Rashid’s recent statement, made during the funeral of his father, in which he expressed his intention to step down as the MP from Baramulla, saying that his continued incarceration had prevented him from effectively serving the people who elected him.
In a statement issued on Monday, AIP said Rashid’s desire to resign was driven by concern for his constituents rather than any personal or political consideration.
“Since his election as an MLA in 2008, he has built his political career around accessibility and direct engagement with the public,” AIP spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said.
According to the party, Rashid believes that the role of an elected representative extends beyond parliamentary speeches and development funding and requires direct engagement with people and responsiveness to their concerns.
“His understanding of public service has always been much broader. He feels that an elected representative must remain accessible to the people and actively involved in addressing their day-to-day concerns,” Nabi said.
The party said Rashid was concerned that his imprisonment was affecting the representation of voters in the Baramulla Parliamentary Constituency, which accounts for a substantial portion of Kashmir’s population.
“The people who elected him are not receiving the representation and accessibility they deserve because of circumstances beyond their control,” Nabi said.
AIP leaders said the party’s Political Affairs Committee had discussed the matter extensively and unanimously decided that the final decision should be left to the electorate.
“Since Engineer Rashid was elected by the people, it is only appropriate that they decide whether he should continue as their Member of Parliament or whether resignation would be in their best interest,” a senior party leader said.
As part of the exercise, senior party leaders will hold consultations with residents, civil society members, political workers and other stakeholders across the constituency. The party said it was also prepared to conduct a secret ballot, if required, to enable people to express their views freely.
“If the majority believes he should resign, that view will be communicated to him. If the people want him to continue despite the challenges posed by his incarceration, that sentiment too will be placed before him,” Nabi said.
The party reiterated its commitment to democratic principles, stating that the ultimate decision should reflect the wishes of the people who elected their representative.
