 Early Times Report
Jammu, July 2: Failing to make any impact in the just concluded Lok Sabha elections, the Apni Party (JKAP), led by Altaf Bukhari, is struggling to remain relevant as it faces the upcoming Assembly polls. Formed in 2020, the Apni Party has consistently been perceived as being close to the BJP. Last week, the chief of the Apni Party dissolved its youth and women’s wings after failing to secure a lead in any of the 36 Assembly segments within the two Lok Sabha constituencies—Srinagar and Anantnag-Rajouri—that it contested.
The party managed to emerge as the runner-up in nine segments.
Sources said that party leadership has decided to dissolve its frontal organizations amid reports that leaders, who were holding senior positions in the party, would rejoin other political groups ahead of the Assembly elections.
Another sources within the party revealed that the Apni Party is revamping its structure and image to remove the tag of B team of the BJP.
In an effort to distance itself from its pro-BJP image, Bukhari stated that the Party would focus on a pro-people agenda, emphasizing that the party has no affiliations or alliances with any other political organization.
Bukhari founded the Apni Party in March 2020 after parting ways with the PDP leadership in 2019. Critics allege that the BJP supported Bukhari as many dissident leaders, particularly from the PDP, joined him.
With support from PDP founding member Ghulam Hassan Mir, Bukhari garnered backing from many former colleagues, despite accusations from the PDP that the Centre pressured its leaders to abandon Mehbooba Mufti.
Despite being labeled as a “BJP proxy,” which initially attracted leaders, the tag did not resonate with the public. Apni Party performed not every weel in the 2020 District Development Council (DDC) polls, winning only 12 out of 280 seats.
Before the Lok Sabha polls, Apni attracted several senior leaders, including legislators and ministers. However, the party faced a significant setback in the Lok Sabha elections, with both its candidates, Mohammad Ashraf Mir (Srinagar) and Zafar Iqbal Manhas (Anantnag-Rajouri), forfeiting their deposits.
Despite considerable support from the BJP, particularly in the Pahari belt of Pir Panjal, Zafar Iqbal, a former PDP legislator failed to secure a lead even in the home constituency of BJP president Ravinder Raina.
Bukhari formally entered politics ahead of the 2014 Assembly polls, joining the PDP and winning the Amirakadal seat against National Conference’s Nasir Aslam Wani.
Bukhari became the PWD minister in the PDP-BJP government led by late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Following Sayeed’s death, Bukhari attempted to lead the coalition but was dropped from the cabinet when Mehbooba Mufti took over as Chief Minister, only to be re-inducted later as education minister and eventually the high-profile Finance Minister. |
