J&K: PDP expels sole MP for attending L-G swearing-in event

In a release on Friday, the PDP said Laway was being expelled for “anti-party activities”.

“Member of Rajya Sabha Nazir Ahmed Laway has been expelled from the basic membership of the party. The decision has been taken by the party leadership after learning about the participation of Laway in the official function of the swearing-in ceremony of the newly-appointed Lieutenant Governor in Srinagar, thus undermining the party leadership in entirety”.

“The participation of the MP was in contravention to the party stand regarding the current political situation and revocation of Article 370,” the release said.

It added that this was not Laway’s first violation of the party’s directives. “This is not for the first time that the MP has gone against the directives and instructions of the party. Earlier, he abstained from the voting against the Triple Talaq bill, which was tabled in the Rajya Sabha this year. Even after seeking an explanation for such an unruly behaviour, he remained adamant in violating the basic party norms,” the release added.

Laway, however, defended his decision to attend the ceremony saying he had been invited as an MP.

“I am a leader and I know what I have to do and where I have to go,” he told The Indian Express.

“I am a representative of the people. I have to go to the LG tomorrow with demands of people. If I didn’t go today, I think, it would not have been appropriate for me to go tomorrow,” he added.

“I had an invitation. I didn’t go on my own. It is the highest forum and only dignitaries are invited there. I was invited and I went. I am an MP and this invitation was an honour for me. I had to honour it and go there,” he said.

He asked who had ordered the expulsion. “But the question is who expelled me? Our party president is in jail. So who is doing it? Earlier also we were asked to resign (from parliament). We came to know about it through TV channels. We are being directed to do this and that. But who is giving these directions?” he asked.

Laway said he was not part of any plan to form an alternative political formation in J-K and continues to be a member of the PDP. “Who is part of that (plan) I don’t know,” he said.