Srinagar: Hilal Rather, son of veteran National Conference leader Abdul Rahim Rather, joined the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference on Saturday.
Rather, who is out on bail in a case related to diversion of loan money taken from Jammu and Kashmir Bank, joined the People’s Conference in the presence of party chairman Sajad Gani Lone.
Asked if he had consulted his father and NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather on joining Lone’s party, Rather replied in the negative.
“I respect my father and he has been magnanimous in giving me space to take my own decisions. I have taken this decision on my own,” he said.
Rather said he chose People’s Conference as he wanted to work for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir who have immensely suffered due to the ongoing conflict.
Asked why he did not join the National Conference, he said he did not want to do “negative politics”.
“I want to do positive politics,” he asserted.
While welcoming Rather into the party, Lone said the People’s Conference has arrived.
“Let there be no delusions…There are many who refuse to see reality as it exists and want to create reality as they want to see it.
“We have come, we have arrived and we will conquer for the betterment of people of Jammu and Kashmir,” Lone added.
“Hilal is like a younger brother. I have known him for decades now. He is an enterprising, educated and capable young man who has the interests of the people of J&K at the core of his politics. Interestingly, he had promised me long back that he will one day join me in this caravan of change. And today he has fulfilled his commitment. He is a new generation leader who will, in the future, play a pivotal role in the politics of J&K”, Lone said.
Hilal, an alumni of BITS Pilani, has been consistently working with his father in the constituency.
