Former JNU student leader and activist Shehla Rashid Shora, who earlier hinted on foraying into politics, is all set to join former IAS officer Shah Faesal's yet to be launched party. Rashid has been an active critic of the Narendra Modi government. “Shora is going to join Shah Faesal, who is launching a new political party,” a source told The Print.
The 31-year-old student activist is the former vice-president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) and is currently pursuing a PhD in Technology and Citizen-State Relations from the same varsity.
Rashid became a talking point for showing support to fellow student leaders Kanhaiya Kumar, Umar Khalid and Anirban Bhattacharya after they were arrested for allegedly raising "anti-India" slogans at a protest against the execution of Afzal Guru in February 2016.
“She is getting a central position in the core team. She has been working closely with Faesal over the past few months and was involved in the decision-making process for the inception of the party,” the source added.
Faesal, who quit his civil services job a few months ago, is also likely to contest from Baramulla. Faesal, who hails from Kupwara, is expected to form his own political party in the next few days. A multi-cornered contest is likely to take place in the politically sensitive Baramulla-Kupwara Lok Sabha seat in north Kashmir.