PDP shows exit door to Altaf Bukhari
Says he was involved in anti-party activities
Srinagar: People’s Democratic Party (PDP) Saturday expelled businessman-turned-politician and former minister Altaf Bukhari from the party for anti-party activities.
“Party today expelled Altaf Bukhari from the party for his anti-party activities,” the party said in a tweet.
The PDP said the party had been watching Bukhari’s activities for some time and has expelled him from the basic membership of the party.
“Party has been watching with concern the activities of Altaf Bukhari for quite some time and thereby (he) stands expelled from the basic membership of party,” the party headed by former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti, said on Twitter.
“Bukhari inspired and led dissent in the party at its most crucial stage which resulted in serious damage to our efforts at implementing the agenda of alliance of our coalition government. While the Party leadership was engaged in negotiations with its partner and the GOI insisting on implementing some agreed points before forming the new government, the dissension weakened its bargaining position forcing subsequent events against its will,” it said in a statement later.
“In spite of this obvious backstabbing and subversion of people’s interest the Party leadership believed in subsequent explanations and assurances of Mr Bukhari and reposed complete trust in him by re-inducting him in the cabinet,” the statement revealed .
“Unfortunately ever after the end of coalition, Mr Bukhari instead of pursuing party interest in accordance with the expectations of our voters and workers started open attempts at breaking the party by hobnobbing with its rivals,” the statement alleged.
“Newspapers have been running stories almost on daily basis to create impression of Mr Bukhari being at the centre of a ‘rebellion’ brewing in the party. The leadership waited in the hope of Mr Bukhari rejecting these reports to clear the air. But unfortunately he did nothing to remove this impression,” the party statement added.
Notably, Bukhari won his maiden assembly election from Amira Kadal in 2014 and was a minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.
He was, however, dropped from the cabinet by Mehbooba when she took over after Sayeed’s death in 2016.
Bukhari was then made minister for Education in February 2017 and went on to become the finance minister of the state after Haseeb Drabu was expelled from the cabinet following his controversial remarks on Kashmir. (with PTI inputs)
Press Trust of India
