NC And PDP Days In Jammu Kashmir Now Numbered, Apni Party Launched By Altaf Bukhari
Former PDP minister Altaf Bukhari at the launch of his ‘Apni Party’ in Srinagar on Sunday.
Former PDP leader and minister in the Mehbooba Mufti government Altaf Bukhari launched a new political outfit — Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party — on Sunday and said it would preserve the self-respect and dignity of people of the Union Territory and ensure dignified return of Kashmiri Pandits.
Bukhari further said the outfit would want to end the mistrust between New Delhi and J&K. “We have to do business with Delhi, whosoever rules Delhi. We don’t look at Delhi from the point of who is ruling in Delhi today. We look at it from the government of India. We have no hesitation in dealing with the government of India. There is an atmosphere of mistrust and we want to end the mistrust between New Delhi and J&K,” he said.
“This party is not floated by a family and there will be a total restriction that anybody who becomes President of party cannot be elected more than 2 times. It is by the commoners, for the commoners, of the commoners,” Altaf Bukhari said.
#WATCH Former J&K Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari launches Apni Party in Srinagar, J&K https://t.co/blO57bB5wh
— ANI (@ANI) March 8, 2020
Hours before the launch of his new political outfit, Altaf Bukhari was unanimously elected as the president of the outfit. More than 30 leaders, including 23 former legislators and ministers, are expected to join the outfit from Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), National Conference (NC) and the Congress, sources said.
Former PDP minister Altaf Bukhari at the launch of his ‘Apni Party’ in Srinagar on Sunday. Bukhari, a businessman, held the education and finance portfolios in the erstwhile state’s PDP-BJP coalition government
The development signals the beginning of the “political process” in the region seven months after the Centre scrapped the special status of J&K under Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcated the erstwhile state into two Union Territories.
“We are not here to sell dreams and fantasies but will always be pragmatic, honest and fair in our approach. We have resolved to create a political platform where people are real stakeholders of the political process,” ANI quoted Altaf Bukhari as saying. Bukhari, a businessman, held the education and finance portfolios in the erstwhile state’s PDP-BJP coalition government.
At the launch, Altaf Bukhari said the party would preserve the self-respect and dignity of people of the Union Territory.
Ghulam Hassan Mir, former minister and chairman of Democratic Party Nationalist, former MLAs of PDP — Yawar Mir, Noor Mohd Sheikh, Ashraf Mir, and former Congress MLAs — Farooq Andrabi, Irfan Naqib are some of the prominent names likely to join Apni Party on Sunday, sources said.
Besides politicians, the new outfit, being seen as an emerging Third Front, will also likely include former chief secretary and political adviser to CM, district Pradesh chiefs of political parties, Block Development Council chairpersons, Kashmiri pandits, civil society and municipal committee chairpersons.
The party will have representatives covering the length and breadth of J&K, including Gurez, Kokennag, Karnah, Jammu, Anantnag, Srinagar, Reasi, Pulwama, Budgam, Kulgam, Kishtwar, Baramulla, Rafiabad, Rajouri, Tanmarg, Bandipora, Vijaypora.
Bukhari was expelled from the PDP in January 2019 following allegations that he ‘inspired and led dissent in the party’.
Seeking to provide a “political alternative and a new Democratic option”, the key goals of the party include moving on beyond the “perpetually mourning” amendment of Article 370 and focus on politics, socio-economic development for people in a practical and rational manner, raising concerns of people at all possible forums and with all political parties, ensuring synergy between Jammu people and Kashmir people, working with the administration to implement measures for revival of political activities in J&K, including raising demands for restoring statehood and decentralisation of power in region.
Bukhari was expelled from the PDP in January 2019 following allegations that he “inspired and led dissent in the party”. Three former chief ministers — Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti — continue to be detained since the scrapping of special status to J&K on August 5, while a number of other political leaders are under house arrest.
