PDP leader Nisar Ahmad Mandoo follows Tariq Karra, resigns from party

The resignation has come three days after Karra quit the party saying it had gone back on its ideals and was treating people “much worse than Nazi forces”. Following Karra’s resignation, Mandoo’s exit is the first resignation of a senior party functionary from the party.

Sources said PDP is holding a meeting of party legislators and senior leaders this week to discuss the fallout of Karra’s resignation and the current situation in Valley. However, the party leaders said it is a routine meeting and not specific to the party senior leader’s exit. This would be the first formal meeting of PDP MLAs since the beginning of protests in Kashmir.

“PDP is already taking the stock of situation everyday and have reacted to the resignation. There is a routine meeting taking place, if at all it takes place. No date has been mixed,” PDP General Secretary Nizam-ud-Din Bhat told The Indian Express.

Bhat said that Mandoo is familiar to PDP but not a basic member of the party. “He has not been attending the office for past two years and how come he is party vice president. Let him show he is member of the party,” he said.

However, Mandoo has been identified as senior vice president of PDP’s Srinagar unit in many press statements issued by the party.

On Saturday, four lower-rung political leaders had also quit the party and announced their resignation in local newspapers. PDP’s leader in Shalteng zone area of Srinagar Farooq Ahmad Bhat, party’s former Municipal corporator from Zainakote Ghulam Muhammad Ilahi and their supporters through a paid advertisement announced their exit from the mainstream politics.

“All political workers should follow the path of member parliament Tariq Hameed Karra and resign from PDP and associate themselves with the public to register their protest against the tyranny and oppression,” Bhat said in the statement.

Houses of many PDP lawmakers have been attacked by protesters during past two months in Valley. PDP Legislator from Pulwama, Mohamamad Khalil Band was injured in July when the protesters targeted his vehicle. Many of the lawmakers and party leaders have now shifted to safe zones of Srinagar to avoid the public wrath.