PDP zonal chief resigns from party over boycott of local bodies polls in J-K

A zonal president of PDP announced his resignation from the basic membership of the party on Tuesday over its decision to boycott the upcoming urban local bodies and panchayat polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

On September 10, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)said that it was boycotting the polls as the security situation in the state was not conducive for holding these elections.

"I am resigning from the basic membership of the PDP along with my committee. I have submitted my resignation to the party president (Mehbooba Mufti)," Nitish Mahajan, the zonal president of Gandhi Nagar assembly constituency, told reporters here.

He said PDP cadre were looking forward to the polls to work for the welfare of the people.

"We believe in democracy and announcing boycott of the elections means that you have no faith in the constitution, Mahajan said.

Mahajan said that he had joined the PDP four and a half years back under the leadership of Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, who wanted to take the people of all the three regions of Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir along.

"After his death, the vision and mission of the party suffered a setback... the PDP-led government ignored Jammu," he alleged and claimed that there was no clarity among PDP leaders in Jammu over Article 370 and Article 35A of the constitution.

He also criticised PDP leadership for "ignoring" the demand of the people of Jammu for a holiday on the birth anniversary of Maharaja Hari Singh, the last Dogra ruler of the state, on September 23.