Fearing defeat Mehboob Beig quits NC, extends unconditional support to PDP Chief

Fearing defeat Mehboob Beig quits NC, extends unconditional support to PDP Chief

Says, Mufti can halt the RSS’s march in Kashmir

Big Jolt to NC

Saahil Suhail

Anantnag, Nov 16: In a major setback to ruling National Conference ahead of the assembly elections, senior leader and former Lok Sabha MP Mehboob Beg today quit the party and extended unconditional support to his rival and Peoples democratic party chief  Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

He also turned down the NC mandate given to him to contest the elections from Anantnag assembly segment, which is going to polls in the fourth phase of elections on December 14.

Beg, son of National Conference stalwart Mirza Mohmmad Afzal Beg-one of the founding member of National Conference, announced his decision to quit the party while addressing a workers meet at his residence in Sarnal Anantnag today.

“After deliberations with my party workers and block level representatives I have decided to extend unconditional support to Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (PDP candidate from Anantnag) as he is the only person who can halt the BJP's march in Kashmir," Beg told media after addressing the workers.

Beg, however, said he will not be joining the PDP.

“I am not joining the party (PDP) but will launch a door-to-door campaign for Mufti Mohmmad Syed.” He said, adding from Rajori to ladakh PDP is gaining a momentum.

On being asked why he is quitting the party, Beig said, “I was never taken into confidence by the party neither my suggestions about the organizational matters and development works were entertained.”  

“I was being told to support Rafiq Khan in Devsar and Abdul Majeed Mir in shangus, I supported them even government supported them but now why they were denied the ticket. At least we should know on what basis they were giving mandates to the people.” He said.

He accused ministers of Omar-Abdullah government of ignoring Anantnag and developing their own constituencies. “They (ministers developed their constituencies and ignored Anantnag despite I took the issue with Chief Ministers on several occasions.” He said

He said, “I am hope that the next government will constitute an enquiry commission for probing the irregularities and wrong doings which they (Ministers) have done.”

He said alleged that people from Chrar-e-Sharief (constituency of Finance Minister A R Rather) were employed in Jammu and Kashmir bank illegally while as posts under NREGA, which have to be filled locally from rural areas, were given to people from Khanyar (constituency of Rural Development Minister Ali Mohammad Sagar).

Apeealing Syed Ali Shah Geealni and other separatist leader to revist it poll boycott decision, he said, “They (Seperatists) have every right to boycott the polls but in case BJP won few seats then who they will make responsible for it, they must clear it.”

Earlier several leaders of National Conference in South Kashmir have joined PDP and BJP but Beig’s decision to withdraw from the assembly election is seen as a serious jolt to the party.

NC’s working president and chief minister Omar Abdullah took to micro-blogging website Twitter to react to the development. “There can be no denying that Beg's departure is something NC could have done without but it has been on the cards for a couple of weeks. If the PDP really wants to know what Beg thinks of them just pull out the recordings of his campaign speeches from the last LS polls,” he wrote.  

Beg was the NC candidate in the 2014 Indian parliamentary polls but lost by over 40,000 votes to PDP president Mehbooba from Anantnag.

This time again, Beig was all set to face a humiliating defeat  as during parliamentary elections he secured only 1500 votes from Anantnag assembly segment.

Sources in National conference told Early Times that the day parliamentary elections concluded, beig left party and even not attended any crore group meeting of which he was member. They said that beig’s son was also expelled from the youth wing of the party a day after the announcement parliament election results.

“He was not ready for contesting elections and was demanding ticket for son which party refused. Weeks before he met Farooq Abdullah in London with the same demand but nothing changed which is the reason he left party.” They said