SRINAGAR: A day after toppling political bigwigs, including Omar Abdullah and Sajad Gani Lone, Awami Ittehad Party patron and MP elected Er Rashid has thanked the people for electing him from Baramulla Lok Sabha segment.
In a purported statement distributed by his lawyer, Er. Rashid’s official Facebook Page reproduced a message thanking the people for electing him. “Message of Er Rashid through counsel Vikhyat Oberoi, Rashid Ji had a message for the media – He asked me to convey his regards to the people of J&K, for electing him. He says it is the victory of people and not his. He said that he will continue to fight for the rights of people of J&K in a democratic manner, and will continue to be the voice of the voiceless. He says that the margin by which he won is a testament to his innocence in the case lodged against him (sic.).”
The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), which caught the public pulse with its appeal aimed at seeking release of party patron during its several-week long extensive campaigning, is seemingly caught in a predicament as to decide for its future strategy amid uncertainty over the fate of party head.
The party expectedly looks largely occupied with the thought and mode to see the party patron out of prison – as to regroup the party constituents to chalk the future strategy.
Even as the party continues to remain in dilemma, rumours, especially on social-media, have been doing rounds which have been placing the incarcerated Er Rashid either in INDI Bloc or NDA.
Clearing the air, Awami Ittehad Spokesperson Firdous Baba said that the party is currently concerned to see the patron out of prison.
“Reports attributing us to join any of the two alliances are untrue”, Baba said, adding, “No such thing is under consideration in the party as of now.”
“Our first priority is to see the party patron out of prison and we leave it to Er. Sahab’s wisdom and discretion to decide the first strategy,” Baba said.
“We will make all possible efforts to see an early release of Er. Sahab from the prison to enable him to interact and serve his people,” he said.
“It is better that we wait till he is out to decide what is best for the party, as per his own discretion,” Baba added.
Notably, Er Rashid, who amassed a total of 472481 votes, defeated his nearest rival Omar Abdullah by a margin of 204142 votes. Similarly, Sajad Gani Lone who bagged a total of 173239, fell short of 299242 to the AIP patron in the results announced on Tuesday. (GNS)
