Srinagar, 26-10-2023 : Mehbooba Mufti, the former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, has been re-elected as the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). This significant development virtually marked the commencement of her party’s campaign for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. In her address to party workers, Mufti emphasized the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections and urged the cadre to promptly engage in strengthening the organization.
She reminded party members of the need to replicate the PDP’s performance in the 2009 Lok Sabha elections, aligning it with paying homage to her late father, Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
The election process involved the proposal of Mehbooba Mufti as the party’s president by PDP’s general secretary, Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura, which was seconded by former minister Abdul Gaffar Sofi. The nomination received unanimous support from all members of the electoral college through a voice vote.
Notably, the election process took place simultaneously in both Jammu and Srinagar, with the Jammu branch connected to the party’s Srinagar office via video link.
Expressing her gratitude for the trust placed in her by party leaders, Mehbooba Mufti addressed the criticisms directed at her and her late father. She defended her father’s decision to form a coalition government with the BJP, stating that it was the right choice to prevent potential turmoil in Jammu and Kashmir.
Furthermore, she addressed the controversy surrounding her “toffee, milk” remark made in 2016. Mufti clarified that it was an expression of her concern as a mother and a plea to avoid violence. She cited the tragic incident involving her daughter Insha, who suffered injuries in clashes between miscreants and security forces.
In a subtle reference to the rule of the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir, Mufti highlighted a 2009 incident in Shopian, during which two women lost their lives when Omar Abdullah was the Chief Minister. She challenged her opponents to find any other allegations against her, asserting that social media trolls could not determine the region’s future.
Mufti reiterated the significance of today as the “accession day,” marking the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to the Union of India. She emphasized the importance of protecting the region’s identity within the Indian framework and accused those who revoked Article 370 on August 5, 2019, of weakening that accession. She concluded by asserting that they would have to return everything taken from the region with interest.