| Abid Ansari resigns, many more likely to follow suit | | |
Minam Saqib
Early Times Report
srinagar, July 1: Amid reports that PDP and Congress were mulling to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir , one of the MLAs of the PDP Abid Ansari Sundayannounced his resignation from the party.
Abid made the announcement at a public gathering in Zadibal constituency, he represents on Sunday.
Abid is uncle of former PDP minister Imran Raza Ansari.
In his speech, Abid was critical of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
"They (PDP founders) brought their relatives in the government and assigned them top positions in the party, while sidelining the deserving ones. Sartaj Madni, Naeem Akhtar, and Peerzada Mansoor are taking all decisions. Even Mehbooba brought her brother (a cinematographer) into the cabinet," he said.
However, he kept it under suspension about his future plans. "Anything is possible," he said.
Abid is among the 10 PDP MLAs who met Mehbooba Mufti few day before the BJP pulled out from the coalition.
Sources said that there are at least seven disgruntled PDP MLAs, who are unhappy with the party and are mulling to leave the party.
"These disgruntled MLAs are also being approached by few political parties. So far, Abid has resigned, but there are few more who may also quit the party," a PDP leader said. "Imran Ansari, another influential Shia leader may follow his the uncle ," the PDP leader said.
Among the disgruntled MLAs, who too had been part of the meeting were MLA Rafiabad Yawar Mir, MLA Wachi Aijaz Ahmad Mir, MLA Shopian Mohammad Yousuf Bhat, MLA Kokernag Abdul Rahim Rather, MLA Tral Mushtaq Ahmad Shah, and MLA Noorabad Abdul Majeed Padroo.
In the meeting, sources said that they expressed displeasure over being ignored on important policy matters and decisions.
"Few MLAs complained specifically about two office bearers of the party that they were poking nose in every ones business and interfering in all the matters," a source privy to the meeting said.
"We are the ones who bore the brunt of this alliance by suffering mentally as well as emotionally. Our families and workers are scared even to walk in day light," one of the MLAs had said.
The resignation of Abid and few more considering to quit would spoil the efforts of the PDP-Congress to form the government. "Talks are going on but resignation of Abid has put PDP is a difficult position," a PDP leader said.
The PDP has 28 MLAs while the Congress has 12 MLAs. They require at least 44 MLAs to form the government.
The PDP-BJP alliance ended on June 19 after the latter withdrew its support from the coalition that was formed in 2015. The BJP has accused Mehbooba of failing to maintain peace in the state during the three-year PDP-BJP rule. |
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