PDP expels Altaf Bukhari for anti-party activities

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday expelled its senior leader Altaf Bukhari for anti-party activities. “Ever since the passing away of our founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, he (Altaf) has been perusing his personal political ambition at the cost of the party and state interest,” PDP said in a statement issued to Kashmir News Service (KNS).

“Bukhari inspired and led dissent in the party at its most crucial stage which resulted in serious damage to our efforts at implementing the agenda of Alliance of our coalition government. While the party leadership was engaged in negotiations with its partner and the GOI insisting on implementing some agreed points before forming the new government, the dissension weakened its bargaining position forcing subsequent events against its will,” PDP said.

“In spite of this obvious backstabbing and subversion of people's interest the Party leadership believed in subsequent explanations and assurances of Bukhari and reposed complete trust in him by reinducting him in cabinet,” PDP added.

“Unfortunately, ever after the end of coalition, Bukhari instead of pursuing party interest in accordance with the expectations of our voters and workers started open attempts at breaking the Party by hobnobbing with its rivals,” the statement said.

“The leadership waited in the hope of Bukhari rejecting these reports to clear the air. But unfortunately he did nothing to remove this impression. It was therefore decided to expel Bukhari from party's basic membership with immediate effect,” the statement added.

Bukhari won his maiden assembly election from Amira Kadal in 2014 and was a minister in the PDP-BJP coalition government headed by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He was, however, dropped from the cabinet by Mehbooba when she took over after Sayeed's death in 2016.

Bukhari was then made minister for Education in February 2017 and went on to become the finance minister of the state after Haseeb Drabu was expelled from the cabinet following his controversial remarks on Kashmir.