Srinagar: Former minister Syed Basharat Bukhari on Friday resigned from the National Conference (NC) over two years after joining the party.
Bukhari, who was a minister in PDP-BJP coalition government in the erstwhile state of J&K, had resigned from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and joined the NC in December 2018.
Meanwhile, NC Vice President and former chief minister Omar Abdullah wished ‘Mr Bukhari all the best for whereever his political journey takes him next’.
In a letter to NC president Farooq Abdullah, Mr Bukhari wrote, “Very respectfully, I hereby disassociate from the party (J&K National Conference) from this day 12th of March 2021, Friday onwards. Please be kind enough to acknowledge the above-mentioned expression and oblige.”
Bukhari also wrote a letter to Omar and expressed gratitude for his love and affection towards the former minister during his brief stint as a party member.
He also termed the experience of two years, two months and 21 days with JKNC as an interesting journey. “Although 2 years-2 months and 21 days is less a time to be mentioned, that too when a major portion (One year and three months) of it got consumed under detention (House arrest) and three months in post-Covid complicacies and ailments. But indeed for me, it was an interesting journey and a learning process as well. Thank you So much.” Bukhari wrote in the letter.
“I wish you good luck and hope that the people of Jammu and Kashmir shall get benefited from/through your intellect and politico-administrative experiences,” he added.
Responding to the news of Bukhari’s disassociation from the party, Mr Abdullah took to micro-blogging site twitter and wrote, “It wasn’t to be. I wish Basharat all the best for wherever his political journey takes him next.”
In a major setback to former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, many PDP leaders left her party and joined other parties, including NC, Apni Party and Congress. Mehbooba faced a virtual rebellion in her party after she was dislodged from power by the BJP which withdrew support from the coalition on June 19, 2018.
