Three years after its split, some top party leaders likely to return to PDP

“Many political leaders, who were part of our party, are in touch with the party leadership. They want to return to the party fold,” said a party leader. “The position is likely to become clear in coming days, especially by January 7 (the death anniversary of party founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed)”.

Another PDP leader said they understand that some of the leaders left not out of their own will but “immense pressure from the government and its agencies”.

“They realised their mistake soon and were in touch for a long period of time now. While many party leaders indicated that they wanted to return long ago, Mehbooba ji put her foot down,” another party leader said.

A party source said the PDP is getting an “unexpected” response from the Pir Panjal region of Jammu. “There are many leaders from the Pir Panjal region who want to join the party. While some of them were previously associated with the PDP, others are from other political parties,” he said.

Beig, who was the co-founder of the party with Mufti, was among the first party leaders to part ways after the BJP walked out of the alliance government with the PDP.

In March 2021, Beig formally joined Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference only to be expelled from the party a few months later. For the last two years, Beig stayed away from active politics while his wife Safeena Beig fought the DDC polls and was appointed as Chairman of the Baramulla DDC.

Haq Khan had been sulking for a long time over what he said was the PDP’s “indifferent approach” and stayed away from politics after the abrogation of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status. Though he had formally left the PDP in 2022, he didn’t join any other political party.

Mir, who was sent to the Rajya Sabha by the PDP after he lost the 2014 Assembly elections by a close margin from Kupwara, had left the party in 2021 and joined the Peoples Conference. However, in September this year, Mir left Lone’s Peoples Conference. He is also set to return to his old party.