Bandipora: Former MLA Nizamuddin Bhat said on Wednesday that he is contesting assembly elections from the Bandipora constituency as an independent candidate.
Bhat made the admission while releasing a personal statement and outlined his development agenda for Bandipora.
Bhat parted ways with the Peoples Democratic Party in 2021 to join the People’s Conference and resigned from the party in June this year after the parliamentary elections.
He regretted that the PAGD did not remain united, suggesting that its agenda was the restoration of Article 370 and 35A “implying thereby the restoration of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir and internal autonomy.”
He said the PAGD’s split brought “disunity,” and personal party interests “brought disappointment and confusion.”
Bhat noted that Jammu and Kashmir is going to the polls after 10 years and the situation is “no different,” in terms of “unity and identity.”
He said recent parliamentary elections were also fought on individual interests.
He stated that political parties are wedded to “individual agendas”, with “some of us desiring to crave for much-needed unity on larger issues.”
He pledged to remain committed to these issues, which he said can “alone guarantee our dignity” and ensure collective security.
“I am not associated with any political party at present,” Bhat said, adding, “I have a personal commitment to the resolution of issues and problems faced by J&K people and Bandipora in particular.”
Bhat said unity at the party level has been “made impossible” and appealed for unity at the “people’s level” in Bandipora.
