Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections: Sheikh Rashid's party proxy of BJP, says Mehbooba Mufti

Ahead of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday accused jailed MP Sheikh Abdul Rashids Awami Ittehad Party of being a proxy of the BJP and warned the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to come under the influence of such parties reported news agency PTIHer remarks came a day after PDP candidate from south Kashmirs Shopian assembly segment Yawar Shafi Banday was injured in an alleged attack by the workers of the Awami Ittehad Party AIP which is led by Rashid popularly known as Engineer Rashid in Balpora area of ShopianOur candidate was going to his constituency some workers associated with AIP assaulted them even our candidate Yawar Banday was beaten and he is fighting for his life his ribs broken his condition is serious Mehbooba claimed while addressing a press conference in Khanabal area of Anantnag district reported PTIRashid defeated former chief minister and National Conference NC vice president Omar Abdullah from the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency earlier this yearAhead of the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections the PDP chief questioned how the AIP was organising resources and candidates when their chief was behind the barsI want to know that Rashid is in jail PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed took 50 years to form the party we still do not have resources to field candidates everywhere Who is behind his Engineers organisation as their candidates are fielded everywhere wherefrom is the funding coming Wherefrom are they getting such courage to engage in hooliganism she added reported PTIThe former chief minister alleged that the government has come up with new proxy parties like the AIPI want to ask the government if you have again come up a proxy party Engineer Rashids party when all your other proxy parties have failed you have brought Engineer Rashids party to the fore and you are supporting them fully with funds and everything then tell us clearly that others parties do not have to contest elections she said reported PTIThe PDP chief alleged her party is being targeted everywhereHad PDP workers done such a thing the whole PDP would have been in jail How did the AIP workers have the courage to attack our workers Why has there been no action on them till yet Why are they not in jail yet she questioned reported PTIShe warned the people of Jammu and Kashmir not to come under the influence of the proxy partiesThere is a huge power behind them who wants to divide the vote in Kashmir The PDP is particularly on their target they know PDP is the only party which stood for the people of Kashmir All these parties in the guise of independent candidates in the guise of AIP they are certainly getting funding from somewhere Wherefrom are they getting such resources The people have to think about it she said reported PTIShe alleged when the other proxy parties failed in the Parliamentary elections the government came up with new proxy partiesThey broke the PDP and made several proxy parties but when their other proxy parties failed in the Parliamentary elections they have now brought Engineer Rashids party So I warn the people of Kashmir that all the other parties than the PDP NC and Congress are backed by some power including Rashids party They want to harm the cause of JK she added reported PTIOn a question about former Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee JKPCC president Waqar Rasool Wanis reported remarks that NC has sucked the blood of the people she said the alliance between the NC and Congress is not based on principlesI have already said the alliances is not based on principles Had it been they would not have pushed JK into a river of blood to form the government after rigging the elections in 1987 she said reported PTIThey can go to any extent to from the government they do not have any principles The NC has fielded independent candidates against Congress everywhere she said reported PTIWith inputs from PTI