SRINAGAR: Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislators Basharat Bukhari and Peer Muhammad Hussain on Wednesday joined the National Conference.
Bukhari, a senior PDP leader and a former cabinet minister in Mehbooba Mufti led PDP-BJP government and Hussain, an ex-Wakf Board chairman were expelled by PDP on Tuesday for their ‘anti-party activities’.
Both Bukhari and Hussain joined National Conference in presence of NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah and vice president Omar Abdullah.
Talking to reporters after joining NC, Bukhari said he didn’t want to be disrespectful to Mehbooba Mufti that is why he left the party.
“I firmly believe that Mehbooba ji has grown a lot and it’s not possible for me to reach that level. And why should I disturb her again and again? So I don’t want to be disrespectful with her. As a mark of respect I left the party,” Bukhari said.
Hussain, when asked why did he leave PDP, said that it was very difficult to leave the party and join another but he had no other option as the situation had become extreme.
“It is very difficult to leave one party and join another, but when the situation becomes extremely compulsive where a person has to take some difficult decisions,” Hussain told reporters.
He said that the PDP didn’t respect the mandate they had given by people of Kashmir by aligning itself with BJP.
“For the first time we (PDP) brought the BJP to Kashmir and we had sought votes to keep (BJP) them away,” he added.