Former Member Parliament Mehboob Beg, who refused National Conference (NC) mandate to contest against Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed in last year’s Assembly elections, was nominated as the chief spokesman on Sunday — a day after he formally joined the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Beg’s refusal to contest was major embarrassment for the NC, which performed abysmally in the elections leading to end of NC-Congress coalition and formation of PDP-BJP alliance.
Beg had announced to support Sayeed in the elections but evaded formal entry into the party. He had justified his decision saying Mufti was the only politician to “stop the ingress of BJP in Jammu & Kashmir”. Son of political stalwart late Mirza Afzal Beg, the former medico had won 2009 parliamentary election from South Kashmir defeating PDP candidate Pir Muhammad Hussain.
The PDP president Mehbooba Mufti announced that Beg would function as chief spokesman of the party. Earlier, the post was held by Naeem Akhtar, who was inducted into Cabinet and holds Education portfolio. Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had described Beg as “opportunist” when he relinquished the party.