Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, July 27: The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a significant political entity in Jammu and Kashmir since its founding in 1999, is set to commemorate its 26th foundation day on July 28, 2025, at Sher-e-Kashmir Park in Srinagar.
However, the celebration is overshadowed by an unprecedented identity crisis, marked by the party’s worst-ever electoral performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha and Assembly elections, the departure of numerous senior leaders, and a significant restructuring effort led by party president Mehbooba Mufti.
Founded on July 28, 1999, by former Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the PDP quickly rose to prominence in Jammu and Kashmir politics. By October 2002, the party formed a coalition government with the Congress, with Mufti Sayeed becoming Chief Minister despite having only 16 MLAs compared to Congress’s 20.
The PDP’s ideology of “self-rule,” advocating for the empowerment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, resonated strongly, particularly in its stronghold of South Kashmir, including the Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency in Anantnag district.
The party’s influence peaked in 2014 when it emerged as the single largest party in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly with 28 seats, forming a coalition with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
At that time, the PDP boasted a robust organizational structure, with five MPs (three in the Lok Sabha and two in the Rajya Sabha), 28 MLAs, and 14 MLCs. However, this alliance, described by Mufti Sayeed as a “meeting of the north and south poles,” would later contribute to the party’s decline.
The 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections marked a low point for the PDP, with the party securing only three seats in the 90-member Assembly, a stark contrast to its 2014 performance. Notably, the party lost its traditional bastion of Bijbehara, where Iltija Mufti, daughter of Mehbooba Mufti, was defeated by Dr. Bashir Ahmed Veeri of the National Conference.
The National Conference-Congress alliance dominated the elections, securi The 2024 Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections marked a low point for the PDP, with the party securing only three seats in the 90-member Assembly, a stark contrast to its 2014 performance.
This electoral drubbing has led to widespread criticism of the PDP’s current leadership and strategy, with observers noting that the party has struggled to maintain its traditional support base in South Kashmir.
The PDP’s challenges extend beyond the electoral arena. Since the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in January 2016, the party has witnessed a significant exodus of its founding members and senior leaders. A former leader and co-founder of the PDP remarked, “It is very unfortunate the PDP is facing identity crises because almost all senior leaders have quitted the party.”
Muzaffar Hussain Beigh, a co-founder and former Deputy Chief Minister, who resigned on November 14, 2020, accusing the leadership of surrendering to other constituents of the Peoples’ Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD).
Tariq Hamid Karra, a former Finance Minister and founder member, who left on September 16, 2016, is presently leading Congress as chief of the J&K unit of the party.
The departure of these leaders, many of whom were close aides of Mufti Sayeed, has left only Mehbooba Mufti and Abdul Rehman Veeri as the remaining prominent figures from the party’s founding era. The exodus intensified after the collapse of the PDP-BJP coalition on June 19, 2018, following which the party’s organizational structure significantly weakened. By 2025, only a handful of former legislators remain active within the party.
In response to the 2024 electoral debacle, Mehbooba Mufti announced the dissolution of the PDP’s entire organizational structure on October 25, 2024, stating that new office bearers and various wings would be appointed after consultations with senior leaders. This move is seen as an attempt to address the internal crisis and rebuild the party’s grassroots connections. However, as of July 2025, there is no publicly available information confirming the appointment of new leadership, leaving the party’s future direction uncertain. |
