J&K’s Political Pot boils up with full steam ahead of Assembly polls

Srinagar: As they say, ‘politics makes strange bedfellows’, was what Kashmir on Tuesday as J&K’s political pot boiled at a high stream with resignations, joinings and ‘ghar-wapsi’ by the political leaders ahead of the much awaited Assembly elections starting from September 18.
A local news gathering agency reported that several parties including Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and Apni Party faced a jolt today when the key leaders announced their resignation from the respective parties.
Chief spokesman of PDP, Suhail Bukhari, a journalist-turned-politician, resigned from the party today.
His decision of quitting the party came as he was unhappy for not being selected to contest the polls. Bukhari was aiming to contest from Wagoora-Kreeri assembly seat, but his chances to get the ticket were reduced after former minister Basharat Bukhari rejoined the PDP last month.
Similarly, Dr Harbaksh Singh, a senior PDP leader and DDC member from Tral, resigned from the party and joined the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) led by Member of Parliament (MP) Engineer Abdul Rasheed Sheikh.
Meanwhile, Choudhary Haroon Khatana, a prominent tribal leader from Kokernag in Anantnag district, has resigned from the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and is expected to join the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) soon.
Khatana confirmed that he has stepped down from all DPAP positions, including the post of General Secretary, and relinquished his basic membership.
Although he has been approached by several parties, Khatana plans to make a final decision on his next move after consulting with his workers.
The Kokernag assembly segment, now reserved for Scheduled Tribes following recent delimitation, could see Khatana’s formal shift to the PDP in the coming days. Previously, Khatana was affiliated with the National Conference before moving to the DPAP.
Zafar Iqbal Manhas, Vice President of Apni Party, and his son have resigned from the party and are expected to join the Congress on Wednesday.
Manhas confirmed his resignation but indicated that the next steps will depend on feedback from his workers.
A meeting with his supporters is currently taking place at his residence, and a final decision is anticipated soon.
Sources suggest that Manhas will formally join Congress in the presence of senior leader Rahul Gandhi.
Manhas, a founding member of the Apni Party after leaving the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has been a notable figure in regional politics, with his son Irfan Manhas serving as Vice Chairperson of the DDC Council in Shopian.
Abdul Haq Khan, a former Jammu and Kashmir minister, has rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after two years.
Khan confirmed his return to the PDP, which was also announced by Mehbooba Mufti after visiting him in Srinagar.
Khan, who previously served as Minister for Rural Development, Panchayati Raj, and Law and Justice under the PDP-BJP coalition, represented the Lolab constituency from 2009 to 2018 and was elected on the PDP ticket in 2008 and 2014