SRINAGAR: Senior politician and former Deputy Chief Minister, Padma Bhushan Muzaffar Hussain Baig attended Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s rally at Jammu. He later spoke to the media and insisted that he was duty-bound to listen to the Prime Minister.
Baig was one of the founding members of the PDP who rose to become the Deputy Chief Minister. He later joined the Peoples Conference but his current party affiliation is not known.
“Can’t one come to listen to one’s PM?” The Indian Express quoted Baig saying. Describing his presence at the rally as “my duty”, he added: “It is not necessary to join, but will perform my duty as per their (PM’s) programme… Joining any party frustrates the larger goal of one nation.”
Baig told reporters that he has had good relations with PM Modi, dating back to their time in government together, and noted Modi’s concern for the needs of Kashmiri people, regardless of party affiliation.
Contrary to expectations of a backlash against the Modi government in Kashmir due to the reading down of Article 370, Baig said the BJP could perform well in Kashmir in the general elections.
Baig’s presence at the rally comes after his brief stint with Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference in 2021, followed by his return to PDP last month. A video clip that is on social media shows Baig denying his affiliation with the PDP.
In the last Lok Sabha, Baig represented north Kashmir Baramulla constituency in the parliament on PDO mandate.
