Influx of leaders into Lone’s Peoples Conference

Stepping out of the Gupkar Alliance, the party has emerged as strong player in north Kashmir

In a bid to emerge as kingmaker in the upcoming Assembly polls in J&K, Sajad Lone’s Peoples Conference (PC) on Saturday saw the entry of former lawmakers and political leaders including former deputy chief minister Muzzaffar Hussain Baigh’s wife Safina Baigh and two ex-Members of Parliament of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). “The party is emerging as a formidable political force to reckon with. My dream is to see this caravan of change stronger. We will make more announcements in the coming weeks,” said Mr. Lone, who split from the Peoples Alliance of the Gupkar Declaration earlier this year. Others who joined Mr. Lone’s party include former legislator Murtaza Khan, former PDP MPs Nazir Ahmad Laway and Mir Mohammad Fayaz, and former Srinagar deputy mayor Sheikh Mohammad Imran.