2 former Valley legislators back in Mufti’s PDP

Two former legislators, who had quit the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) earlier, have re-joined the party in Srinagar. PDP president Mehbooba Mufti announced their return on Wednesday.Noor Mohammad is a former MLA from Srinagar’s Batmaloo and Aijaz Mir is a former legislator from Shopian district. Mohammad, who left the party after abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, has returned to the party fold, Mufti said on Wednesday.Earlier on Tuesday, the party announced Mir’s return to its ranks. Mir had resigned from the party during the Assembly elections last year after the PDP didn’t give him mandate to contest the elections.“This development is poised to bolster the PDP’s outreach efforts, particularly in South Kashmir, as the party seeks to reconnect with its core support base and advance its mission of inclusive growth and empowerment,” the party said stated.After the party faced its worst-ever performance in the 2024 Assembly elections, it is now rebuilding its base across Kashmir. The party managed to win only three seats, a sharp decline from its previous tallies of 28 seats in 2014 and 21 in 2008. The abrogation of Article 370 and 35-A in 2019 had triggered a major exodus from the party, but recently, several leaders have been making a comeback,The PDP has initiated a detailed review of its election loss and plans to draft proposals to strengthen its grassroots presence and reconnect with the public. The party aims to highlight its achievements and re-establish itself as a viable democratic alternative in Jammu and Kashmir, sources said.In March, two former PDP leaders — former MLA Mansoor Hussain Suharwardy and former MLC Yasir Reshi — had also re-joined party four years after quitting it.