Early Times Report
Jammu, Apr 25: Although BJP leader Syed Mushtaq Bukhari has retracted his words within 12 hours, the timing of his statement raised many eyebrows among political circles.
His statement has not only embarrassed his party but his words provided much ammunition to the rivals of PDP in Kashmir Valley.
Bukhari’s statement generated heated debate in Kashmir as the National Conference Vice-president and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah stepped attack on his arch-political rival Mehbooba Mufti.
Interestingly, the statement of Mushtaq Bukhari was neither in the interest of his own party BJP nor did it help the PDP.
Before the polling on the Jammu-Reasi seat statement of Mushtaq Bukhari created embarrassment for the BJP in Jammu province where the party is criticising dynastic political parties.
Taking a cue from Bukhari's statement in which he asked BJP workers to support Mehbooba Mufti in Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, Omar Abdullah said that cat is out of the bag now.
“One thing is clear after Bukhari's statement that the PDP is hobnobbing with BJP to win Parliamentary elections in Kashmir Valley”, Omar said.
“PDP is repeating the 2014 assembly elections when the party sought people's support to stop BJP but after the declaration of the results the same party stitched an alliance with the Saffron party”, he recalled.
“After the A-team and th Statement of Mushtaq Bukhari was neither in the interest of his own party BJP nor did it help the PDP.
Before the polling on Jammu-Reasi seat, statement of Mushtaq Bukhari embarrassed BJP in Jammu province where the party is criticising dynastic political parties.
Omar Abdullah said that cat is out of the bag now, PDP is hobnobbing with BJP to win the seat.
On Monday, Mushtaq Bukhari asked people to support PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, who is contesting election on the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat.
While talking to a local news channel, Bukhari, a minister in the National Conference government headed by Dr. Farooq Abdullah, said that Pahari-speaking people would support Mehbooba Mufti. Today Mushtaq Bukhari retracted his statement and clarified that the high command would take the decision to support any party on the Anantnag-Rajouri seat.
A prominent Pahari leader of the Pir-Panchal range, Mushtaq Bukhari had BJP on February 15 this year after the Central government granted Scheduled Tribe (ST) status to the Pahari-ethnic community.
After a 40-year-old association with the National Conference, Bukhari had parted ways with the Abdullahs in February 2022 over the denial of Scheduled Tribe status to the Pahari community.
Bukhari, a spiritual leader locally referred to as "Peer Sahab" by the Muslim community, has significant clout in the Pahari community in Rajouri, Poonch, Baramulla, and Kupwara districts.
A two-time former MLA from Surankote in Poonch district, Bukhari was once a close confidante of National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah. | 