Former deputy CM Muzzaffar Baig to contest J&K assembly polls as independent

Former deputy chief minister Muzzaffar Hassain Baig will contest assembly elections from Baramulla constituency as an independent candidate.
Baig, who has represented Baramulla assembly segment twice in 2002 and 2008 as a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) legislator, is considered to be one of the senior-most politicians from north Kashmir. He was the deputy CM in the PDP-Congress coalition government and is not currently affiliated with any political party.
Both Baig and his wife Safina also attended a programme on the ninth death anniversary of PDP founder Mufti Mohammad Sayeed in January at Bijbehara and told reporters that he had never left the party.
On Thursday Baig cleared the air after he held a meeting with his workers at Baramulla town. “I have decided to contest elections as an independent candidate from Baramulla. Though I had no ambition to contest the elections but seeing the condition and number of candidates I have decided to contest elections for the development of my place,” he told reporters.
Baig, who served as the PDP patron and former MP resigned from the PDP after his wife was denied a DDC ticket from Sangrama in 2020. Safina contested the DDC elections as an independent candidate and won. She was also elected the DDC chairperson with the help of the People’s Conference’s DDC members. The Apni Party, which had two DDC members, also supported her. Both Baig and Safina also joined the PC but later disassociated from the party. In the Lok Sabha polls, Safina had supported the Peoples Conference chairperson Sajjad Gani Lone’s candidature.
Safina is also likely to contest polls from the Kreeri Wagoora seat from where she was elected as DDC member in 2020. “This is a very important election for the Baig family as a win could make them kingmakers. However, if they lose, their future in politics will be in jeopardy,” Pervaz Ahmad, a former close aide, said.