Amid the massive political party-hopping in Kashmir, the Altaf-Bukari led Apni Party is likely to receive another jolt in the valley.
Prominent Apni Party leader Abdul Rahim Rather is expected to resign from the party in the next few days.
This development was confirmed to The Kashmiriyat by a close aide of Rather, who previously served as MLA for Kokernag in Anantnag.
Rather, a key figure from the Kokernag area of south Kashmir’s Anantnag district, was instrumental in supporting and organizing public meetings for Bukhari in the southern region.
He was among fourteen of the twenty-eight MLAs who defected from the People’s Democratic Party in June 2018, following its loss of power when the BJP exited the coalition government.
Other defectors who joined Apni Party included Raja Manzoor (Karnah), Noor Muhammad Sheikh (Batamaloo), Yawar Ahmad Mir (Rafiabad), Javaid Hussain Beigh (Baramulla), Muhammad Ashraf Mir (Sonawar), Abdul Majid Paddar (Noorabad), Choudhary Zulfikar Ali (Darhal), and Choudhary Qamar Hussain (Rajouri).
However, with the announcement of upcoming assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, several key leaders from Apni Party have left for the Indian National Congress and other parties.
Earlier, Zafar Iqbal Manhas also departed, citing a stifling environment within the party and difficulty in expressing differing opinions.
In recent developments, Apni Party General Secretary Rafi Ahmad Mir will contest elections from Pahalgam, while Adv. Owais Khan will run from Shopian.
These decisions, approved by Party President Syed Mohammad Altaf Bukhari and recommended by the Chairman of the Parliamentary Affairs Committee, Mohammad Dilawar Mir, include other candidates as well: Hilal Ahmad Shah (Anantnag), Tariq Shah Veeri (Bijbeherra), Abdul Majeed Padder (DH-pora), Riyaz Ahmad Bhat (Devsar), Adv. Gowher Hassan Wani (Zainapora), Mir Altaf (Pampore), and Adv. Owais Khan (Shopian).
The party’s challenges, including its poor performance in the Lok Sabha elections across the Kashmir valley, may be influencing these departures.