Srinagar, Jan 07: Veteran politician Muzaffar Hussain Baig on Sunday rejoined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in presence of party chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Baig joined the party during a function organised by the PDP to commemorate the eighth death anniversary of party founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir.
He also offered fatiha (special prayers) at the mausoleum of Sayeed at Bijbhera in the south Kashmir district.
“Baig has returned to the PDP,” party spokesperson Mohit Bhan told PTI.
Baig, who was a co-founder of the PDP in late 1990s, was made the party’s patron following Sayeed’s death in 2016.
A former deputy chief minister, Baig quit the party in 2020 and was tipped to join the People’s Conference led by Sajad Lone.
While Baig’s wife Safina joined Lone’s party, the former Lok Sabha member from Baramulla did not make an official announcement about his status.
Baig’s return to PDP assumes significance as it comes less than four months ahead of Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, as per news agency KNS, Baig said he was inactive in carrying out political activities for the past some time but never left the People’s Democratic Party.
“I didn’t leave the PDP. I was inactive for quite some time but I’m still associated with the party. The relation between me and PDP is like a single soul,” Baig said while talking to media persons in south Kashmir’s Anantnag.
Replying to a query, he said a person cannot set a house on fire which he had built himself.
Paying rich tributes to Late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on his 8th death anniversary at his grave in Dara Shikov Anantnag, the former Deputy CM said he is missing the PDP founder like a son misses his father.
When asked about his possible election of Lok Sabha candidate from north Kashmir, he said it is upon party leadership to decide and take a call on it.
A considerable number of party leaders and workers attended the function and paid tributes to the party founder Mufti Sayeed. They resolved that PDP will continue its “peacebuilding efforts to make J&K an abode of peace”.
