Srinagar, March 8: Syed Altaf Bukhari, former Finance Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, launched a new political outfit - Apni Party - on Sunday. Addressing a press conference following the formal launch of Apni Party, Syed Altaf Bukhari said: "This party is by the commoners, for the commoners, of the commoners." Bukhari, who was among senior leaders of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), was unanimously elected as the president of Apni Party on Saturday.

Speaking of the motive behind launching a new political outfit, Bukhari said: "People here are feeling the absence of credible voices, who can take up their issues and get them sorted." According to news agency ANI, 31 political leaders are expected to join the party, including those from PDP, National Conference (NC) and the Congress. "This party is not floated by a family and there will be a total restriction that anybody who becomes president of party cannot be elected more than 2 times," he said.

The businessman-turned-politician was part of the PDP till he distanced himself from Mehbooba Mufti, whose government was reduced to a minority after the BJP withdrew support in June 2018. There were differences between Mufti and Bukhari over the functioning of the PDP. At the press conference, Bukhari condemned arrests of political leaders under the stringent Public Safety Act. Former Chief Ministers Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah, and Mehbooba Mufti have been booked under PSA.

"It is a very happy occasion that finally we have come up with our party known as Apni Party. It puts a lot of responsibility on us as the expectations and challenges are huge. I assure people of Jammu and Kashmir that my will is strong to surmount these challenges in the interest of my people,” Bukhari told ANI.

"After August 5, a lot has changed. People are in despair, tourism is reduced to zero and local industries have closed down. In that view, challenges are very huge. It is an endeavour to see how we can restore the semblance of these things," he added.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Mar 08, 2020 03:15 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).