In a dramatic move, the PDP on Monday withdrew its support to an independent candidate and a former Congress minister Taj Mohiuddin minutes after the Apni Party also decided to back him in the Uri assembly constituency of north Kashmir’s Baramulla district.

The PDP had on Sunday announced support to Taj Mohiuddin who is contesting the election against the National Conference candidate Dr. Sajjad Shaffi Uri—the son of a veteran NC leader Mohammad Shaffi Uri who represented the constituency several times and was a minister.

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However, the PDP retracted on Monday soon after the Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari also announced support to Mohiuddin.

Bukhari held a press conference in Srinagar to announce support to Mohiuddin who recently resigned from the DPAP of Ghulam Nabi Azad and before that was with the Congress for about 40 years.

Bukhari, in the presence of Mohiuddin, said the decision was taken keeping in mind the interests of the people of the Uri assembly segment. “There is no personal interest. Neither does Mohiuddin have any personal interest, nor do I,” he said.

He said that Mohiuddin is a senior leader and would certainly win from Uri.

Bukhari’s Apni Party has been nicknamed as a “B-team of BJP” in the Kashmir valley. However, the party leaders have claimed that they have nothing to do with BJP.