The Apni Party launch was just not an indicator of a businessman’s clout over politics in Jammu and Kashmir. It was sort of a barometer to check the ‘health’ of the National Conference (NC) and the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the two family-driven parties that have remained the principal stakeholders to Kashmir mandate. Apni Party is not an organic structure. Seemingly, it emerged from the spoils of other parties, especially the PDP.
The Sunday launch party indicated that NC has emerged a stronger party in comparison to both PDP and the Congress. Syed Altaf Bukhari, who has been the PDP treasurer and a finance minister, has been able to manage most of his crowd from the party he worked for. He could even muster a group from the Congress too. By and large, NC remained almost impregnable. There was nobody from Sajjad Lone led Peoples Conference as well.
“When we got information that Vijay Bakaya is joining the new party, we suggested him he must join only after the party leaders are set free,” one NC veteran said. “But he said he has made a commitment and cannot wait and we did not resist.”
Bakaya joined NC after completing his tenure as the Chief Secretary. The NC nominated him to the state’s Legislative Council that has now ceased to exist after the state was downgraded into two Union Territories. “Syed Asgar Ali that people see as an erstwhile NC activist, are incorrect because he had been in the party for quite a few days,” the NC leader said. “Even when he joined us, we always saw him the PDP man.”
The launch party indicated as if it was PDP launching its sister concern. It was in this context that people are loudly asking – does PDP exist?
This story is from the March 15-21, 2020; THE STATE OF POLITICS; Issue 50 Vol 11 edition of Kashmir Life.
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This story is from the March 15-21, 2020; THE STATE OF POLITICS; Issue 50 Vol 11 edition of Kashmir Life.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.
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