Hurriyat leader who met Centre's interlocutor ousted from his own party, Bhat challenges move

A week after senior Hurriyat leader Abdul Gani Bhat met Centre's interlocutor, the senior leader has been suspended from his own party The Muslim Conference.

Bhat who is also part of Hurriyat has been a patron of Muslim Conference since 1988. The Letter of Muslim Conference accessed by India says Sultan Magray is its new Chairman for six months.

The Muslim Conference is said to be having meeting on Monday to resolve the internal rift within the party.

The one page letter has been addressed to Mirwaiz Umar Farooq and cites Bhat's meeting with Centre's Special representative to J&K Dineshwar Sharma as reason for suspension.

Bhat on the other hand denied his ouster from the party he had formed.

Speaking to India today on phone, he said "I'm still the patron of the party and will continue to be the head till my last breath."

He also confirmed that two men including Magray met me on Friday to convey the decision.

Bhat, who met Sharma in the last week of November said to have met the interlocutor on his own individual front said that, "Two people who are ordinary members of Muslim Conference cannot oust him." Speaking further he said, "Hobby horses do not win races."

There have been active back channel talks to get Hurriyat leaders, who are trying to hardball to come to the table for talks.

Bhat meeting with Sharma happened after he expressed willingness in meeting the interlocutor. However, the Hurriyat leader had described it as "individual opinion."

On October 23, Centre had appointed Sharma as special representative to J&K to initiate dialogue with stakeholders especially youth in an effort to reach out to the people of trouble torn Kashmir Valley.

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