Srinagar, Mar 17: In a major political development, veteran politician and former deputy chief minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig on Wednesday returned to the Peoples Conference after a gap of more than three decades.
Baig, who had played a key role in formation of Peoples Conference in late seventies, re-joined the party today in presence of PC chief Sajad Gani Lone, vice- chairman Abdul Gani Vakil, senior leaders Raja Aijaz Ali, Abid Ansari, Irfan Panditpuri, Bashir Ahmad Dar and others at his residence in Srinagar.
Baig’s joining has come as a major booster for PC, as it is expected to strengthen the party in Kashmir Valley especially Baramulla district, where he has an impressive political clout. “The relations between PC and Baig warmed up after the former supported Safeena Baig during the DDC chairperson elections held last month,” sources privy to the development told news agency.
Baig, who served as deputy chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir, had parted ways with PDP in November 2020 over its seat-sharing arrangement with National Conference in DDC polls.
In the DDC elections held in November- December last year, PC emerged as the single largest party in Kupwara and Baramulla by respectively winning five and three seats.
Baig has twice represented Baramulla Assembly segment before he was elected as member parliament in 2014. Sources disclosed that more political leaders from different parts of J&K are likely to join PC in the next few weeks.
“The biggest advantage for PC is that it has presence in almost every segment of north Kashmir. This electoral advantage seems to be favoring PC,” they said.