Self promotion was Altaf Bukhari’s agenda: PDP

Srinagar: Refuting that his name was at any point suggested as an interim president of the party, Vice President Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Abdul Rahman Veeri on Monday said that seeking self-promotion through illicit, undemocratic and unethical measures was Altaf Bukhari’s sole agenda in PDP.
Reiterating his faith in the leadership of Mehbooba Mufti as the PDP President, Veeri said that across the state, party functionaries, workers and activists en-masse support her in her every endeavour to get the state out of the present cycle of violence. Every person associated with the PDP, said Veeri, has witnessed how amid the tumultuous times Mehbooba Mufti built the party brick by brick and made it a guiding force in Jammu and Kashmir’s political landscape. He added that in spite of taking over in very trying circumstances, PDP President ran the government with integrity and calibre. However, according to Veeri, she was back-stabbed by some people especially Altaf Bukhari.
Veeri said that by giving out his desire to become PDP President, Bukhari has exposed his real agenda which he initiated within days of Mufti saheb’s death. “For that he even made Nagpur Yatra in a bid to seek their blessings for forming the government at the cost of party and state interest. Ever since the death of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, he tried to grab the party and sell it out for the promotion of his personal ambitions,” said Veeri.
The PDP Vice President stated further that every person is now aware that when party President Mehbooba Mufti was standing firm before the government of India, Bukhari even went up to Nagpur to offer his services as an alternative. “Such acts of his sabotaged the agenda of alliance and the negotiations Mehbooba Mufti was having with the government of India, demanding implementation of specific points in the agenda of the alliance as a precondition for taking over as the Chief Minister of the state,” Veeri said.
The PDP veteran added that even when the government headed by Mehbooba Mufti was formed in April 2016, a clear signal was given to Bukhari as he was dropped from the cabinet. It was later, according to Veeri, on assurances of good conduct from Bukhari that his position was restored.
He said that the ousted leader had no problem with the party till the government was in place and he began inventing issues soon after the dissolution of the assembly. “Till the dissolution, Mr Bukhari had the hopes of getting the government back. Though, till then, he was behaving like a party man but his one foot was in PDP and his soul and spirit were with all other parties except PDP. He was in contact with the outlaws and even made hectic efforts to instigate rebellion within the party,” Veeri said, adding that soon after dissolution of assembly, Bukhari saw only one way of finishing the PDP and that was by taking over as President and he openly told some party leaders that he wants to take over as a prize for him to stay in the party. “He had a one-point agenda and that was to take over the party and sell it out for promoting his political and other interests. Now exposed, he is openly declaring his ambitions in public,” Veeri said.
He added that people of the state know Mehbooba Mufti as a person with selfless courage with a desire to ensure betterment in peoples’ lives. “It is not Mehbooba Mufti who needs PDP. It is actually the PDP which needs the person of her stature. Her command and sincerity in work is already being praised by one and all, not only in JK but across the country. She has battled against various forces very bravely and the impression she has left on the minds of people is that she is actuated by a high sense of fairness and impartiality. Every person associated with the PDP is proud of her leadership and is hopeful that she will lead the people of the state to their permanent prosperity,” said Veeri.