Srinagar
Five People’s Democratic Party (PDP) rebel leaders on Friday said that Dehli has nothing to do with the revolt within PDP.
Kl Image by Bilal Bahadur
Five rebel leaders including three MLAs and two from the legislative council expressed their disagreement with the former Chief Minister’s statement in which she has said any attempt to break her party would produce more militants.
Rebel leaders said they have raised their voice against party president and her aids for nepotism.
PDP rebel leaders Javaid Hussain Baig, Imran Ansari, Abdul Majid Paddar, Yasir Reshi and Saifuddin Bhat addressed a joint press conference in Srinagar today.
Baig, Ansari, and Paddar are members of the state assembly while Yasir Reshi and Saifuddin Bhat are from the legislative council, the upper house of state’s bicameral legislature.
Javaid Hussain Baig said: “Let me make it clear that there are no militants in the PDP today nor were there any in the past. We are committed to the fact that the state’s accession to India is final.”
Baig denied the rebels had left the PDP.
“Our motive is to remove Mehbooba Mufti from the party top post. We are still part of PDP and the people who are orchestrating nepotism will have to go,” he added.
“We have not resigned from the basic membership of the party nor have we been served any show-cause by the party president,” Beigh said.
“Why she is showing sympathy for Salahuddin now. Where was she when Salahuddin’s son was put in Tihar Jail. The killings didn’t even stop during her rule. People were put in lock up and faced harassment and corruption. So, how can she now suddenly become the ‘messiah’ of the people,” Beigh said.
Imran Ansari said: “We have been against the family rule and there has not been any change in our stand. We will try and bring in basic reforms in the party.”
“Mehbooba is ruling state for two years. People have been taking to arms even during her tenure. Her statement that people will take a gun if her MLAs are bought is absurd,” he added.
Ansari said that the MLAs want an end to PDP’s dynasty rule so as to provide some relief to the people of the state.
“Mehbooba imposed family raj and didn’t show any respect for the top and senior leaders like Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, Tariq Hameed Karra, Qazi Muhammad Afzal, Muhammad Dilawar Mir and others,” they said.
