SRINAGAR: After being sidelined by the party leadership over his remarks blaming the mainstream leaders for scrapping of Article 370 and downgrading of J&K state into a Union Territory, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) patron and founding member Muzaffar Hussain Baig quit the party on Saturday.
Sources said Baig called on PDP president Mehbooba Mufti in the evening and informed her about his decision to resign from the basic membership of the party. Baig has served as Deputy Chief Minister and Finance Minister of erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir state, which was split into two Union Territories and its special status abrogated by the Centre on August 5 last year.
Baig had been sidelined by the party top leadership, including Mehbooba, who was released last month after over 14 months of detention after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A and bifurcation of J&K state. Admitting that Baig was not attending party meetings, PDP General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Hanjura said it was due to his health concerns. “Baig had recently undergone two surgeries,” he added.
The PDP, which has been vocal against the revocation of Article 370 and wants it restored, had sidelined Baig after his remarks that “Article 370 was hollow and provocative speeches of Mehbooba and other mainstream leaders had prompted centre to abrogate J&K’s special status and downgrade the state into two UTs”.