Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday expelled former Finance Minister Syed Altaf Bukhari for anti-party activities. The expulsion is indicative of deepening crisis within the former ruling party led by Mehbooba Mufti. Around a dozen former Ministers and legislators have deserted the party since the dissolution of State Assembly in November last.
Bukhari (59), an influential businessman had won 2014 Assembly election from Amira Kadal constituency in Srinagar and was first inducted to Mufti Muhammad Sayeed’s Cabinet after the formation of PDP-BJP alliance in March 2015.
“Party today expelled Altaf Bukhari for his anti-party activities. Party has been watching with concern the activities of Altaf Bukhari for quite some time and thereby stands expelled from the basic membership of party,” PDP declared on its official twitter handle.
"I feel myself relieved from a great burden. There was a struggle going on between my heart and mind. They had eased my decision. I will keep on serving the people in whatever capacity," Bukhari said in response.
Informed sources said that Bukhari attempted to split the PDP at least twice to become the Chief Minister but he did not succeed. He played a crucial role in forging a daylong alliance between PDP, National Conference (NC) and the Congress to stake claim for the formation of government in November 2018. However, a counter claim by Sajad Lone with the backing of BJP, gave reason to the Governor to Satya Pal Malik to dissolve the assembly. Soon after the assembly dissolution, the chinks in PDP came to fore and many former ministers and legislators quit the party.
Bukhari was not attending party meetings for several months. He was issuing statements to the media in his personal capacity.
Sources said that Bukhari attempted split in the party in 2016 beginning, soon after the death of party founder and then Chief Minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. Sayeed’s daughter Mehbooba was reluctant to form new government with the BJP without revisiting the terms of alliance. However, she was compelled to form the government on April 4, 2016 after she came to know that a split group in her party was hobnobbing with the BJP. The non-inclusion of Bukhari in Mehbooba’s first cabinet indicated that he was at the center of the conspiracy. However, during a subsequent reshuffle Bukhari was re-indicted into the cabinet. He was given crucial finance portfolio when Mehbooba expelled Hasseb Drabu in March 2018.
Earlier this month, Mehbooba for the first time conformed that it was because of the conspiracy to split the party, she rushed into formation of government without properly negotiating with the BJP. She referred to the conspirators as “garbage” that has been cleaned from the party. Her reference was towards a horde of former Ministers and legislators who quit the party recently.