Denied ticket, former MLA Aijaz Mir quits PDP

Srinagar, Aug 23: In yet another demotivating development for Jammu and Kashmir People's Democratic Party (PDP), a former MLA and a district president, Aijaz Ahmad Mir on Friday resigned from the party. In only the month of August around dozen leaders have left the Mehbooba-led party.

Reports said that Mir is likely to contest the upcoming assembly elections as an independent candidate.

While speaking to news agency KNO, Mir said that he was shocked to realise that the party mandate was given to someone else, and not him.

He said the mandate was not given to him despite him campaigning for the party for last several months.

Mir said that at the time he came to know about the mandate, he was busy in interacting with the workers in one of the villages of his constituency.

He said that if the party was having such intentions, they should have got him in confidence and then come to any decision.

"Snatching mandate in such a way is humiliation and a man can bear anything but not humiliation, so I have decided to quit the party,” he said.

"Mandates aren't decided by parties, but by people and I am hopeful that people give their mandate by voting in my favour,” he added.

It is likely that Aijaz Mir will fight elections as an independent candidate now.

It should be noted that the PDP has appointed to Ghulam Mohiuddin Wani as constituency in-charge for Watchi constituency.