Crisis-ridden PDP appoints Baig as party patron

Majid Jahangir

Tribune News Service

Srinagar, December 10

The crisis-ridden Peoples Democratic Party on Monday placated dissident leader and Member of Parliament Muzaffar Baig by appointing him as the party patron.

The decision to appoint him as patron was taken after a marathon meeting which was chaired by party president Mehbooba Mufti. The Tribune was first to break the story that Baig would be appointed as the party patron.

“Baig sahib has been appointed as party patron,” party chief spokesman Rafi Ahmed Mir told The Tribune. Party sources said Mehbooba offered Baig the party patron post which he accepted. The post of patron was created for Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and it had been lying vacant after his death in 2015.

Sources said the post of patron was specially created for Baig to persuade him to get back into party after he publicly announced that he would consider joining the Peoples Conference chief Sajad Lone-led third front.r the fall of the Mehbooba-led coalition government, the party has faced rebellion within. Many party leaders, including former Cabinet ministers Haseeb Drabu and Imran Ansari and former MLA Abid Ansari have resigned from the party.

Another ex-MLA quits PDP

Former MLA from Tangmarg Abbas Wani on Monday resigned from the PDP. Wani sent his resignation to PDP president Mehbooba Mufti. He is the fourth senior leader after Haseeb Drabu, Imran Ansari and Abid Ansari to quit the party.