Former MLA Batamaloo resigns from Apni Party

Srinagar, Aug 5: Former MLA Batamaloo Noor Muhammad Sheikh on Monday resigned from Jammu & Kashmir Apni Party, accusing it of allying with “anti- Muslim” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the recently held Lok Sabha polls.
Noor Muhammad, who won 2014 Assembly elections from Batamaloo assembly segment, today announced his disassociation from Apni Party, which he had joined on March 08, 2020 when all major mainstream leaders were in detention after abrogation of Article 370. “I am today resigning from Apni Party. I am no more associated with it,” he said.
Noor, who was once close associate of former MP Tariq Hamid Karra, alleged that JK Apni Party allied with BJP, which, he said, is pursuing anti-Muslim policies.
A senior leader of Apni Party, wishing anonymity, said that Noor Muhammed failed to deliver in the recent Lok Sabha polls. “The recent Lok Sabha result shows that he has lost ground. He was trailing by 150000 votes against NC in central Shalteng segment. While NC secured 18322 votes, Noor Muhammad managed to fetch only 3474 votes,” he said.
He asked why Noor Muhammad didn’t resign from membership of assembly when PDP allied with BJP. “Noor Muhammad was MLA from 2014 to 2018.Was his conscience dead when PDP joined hands with BJP in 2015? Why he did not resign then? Was the BJP secular party at that time?” he asked.