Ex-PDP leader Alam rejoins party

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Srinagar, July 20

Senior political leader from the Kashmir Valley and former trade union leader Khurshid Alam on Saturday rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The joining of Alam, comes a week after he resigned from Peoples Conference. He had joined the Peoples Conference, led by Sajad Lone, in March 2021 and was the provincial president of the party.

“Senior political leader Khursheed Alam rejoined JKPDP today at the party headquarters situated at Srinagar, in the presence of party president Mehbooba Mufti,” the PDP wrote on X. Alam had resigned from the PDP in March 2021.

He is the second top leader in Valley, who return to the PDP this month. Former J&K minister Syed Basharat Bukhari had earlier this month rejoined the PDP, from which he was expelled in 2018. Bukhari, a former broadcaster, switched many sides since leaving the PDP in 2018.

Alam stated that one of the key factors of his return was the “unwavering resolve of party president Mehbooba Mufti”.

“Throughout the trying circumstances of recent years, she has faced relentless harassment and unimaginable hardships,” he said. “Despite being rendered homeless…she has remained steadfast in her commitment to the people of Kashmir,” he added.

Alam said she continues to speak truth to power, “advocating for the rights and well-being of people,” despite knowing the might of the establishment she stands against. “Her courage and dedication have been a beacon of hope and resilience,” he said. “…history will not absolve us, if we as political leaders, do not stand by her side during these critical times.”

BJP want to ‘destroy’ Constitution: Mehbooba

Mehbooba Mufti on Saturday alleged that Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) wants to destroy the Constitution of India. She was reacting to the Uttar Pradesh government’s order to all eateries along the Kanwar Yatra route to display their owners’ names.

Speaking to reporters at a party function, Mufti said it has already become evident that the BJP government is “trampling” the Constitution which guarantees equal rights and justice to everyone without any discrimination on the basis of religion or name.

“Rahul Gandhi was right when he said that if they (BJP) get over 400 seats, they will destroy the Constitution. They have come to 240 from 350 seats, but they have not learnt their lesson, they continue to do the opposite of what the Constitution says,” she said. “Those people who voted for BJP in the Lok Sabha elections must have understood that the party will “anyhow want to destroy the Constitution”.”