SRINAGAR: Ahead of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, separatist leader and Hurriyat Conference member Syed Salim Geelani on Sunday joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) here in the presence of party chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Geelani is the first senior leader to give up separatist politics and join a mainstream party, reposing faith in the Indian Constitution.
Geelani was a close aide of jailed separatist leader Shabir Ahmed Shah. He parted ways with Shah years ago and joined the separatist conglomerate Hurriyat Conference led by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq.
“I was associated with Hurriyat Conference and separatist politics for the past 35 years and felt proud for working with that. Today, I am joining the PDP and it is also a proud moment for me,” Geelani said.
He told reporters that PDP is the only party that has touched all the issues concerning the people in J&K. “PDP has been demanding resolution of the Kashmir issue, release of jailed youth, end to suppression and other atrocities. The party’s agenda impressed me.”
Responding to a question, Geelani said Kashmir issue can only be resolved politically and not through guns. Asked if he would contest polls, he said, “My aim is not to contest elections but raise public issues and work for them.”
Mufti, while welcoming Geelani to the party fold, said, “We requested him to contest elections on a PDP ticket but he has expressed inability to do so and said someone else should get a chance to contest.”
Last week, kin of two separatist leaders joined the mainstream politics. Aga Syed Muntazir, son of separatist and Shia leader Aga Syed Hassan Al Moosvi, joined PDP while advocate Javaid Hubi, son of former Hurriyat leader Ghulam Muhammad Hubi, joined Awami Ittihad Party of jailed MP Er Rashid. Muntazir would contest from Budgam Assembly seat and Hubi from Chrar-e-Sharif in central Kashmir.