Srinagar, Sep 16: Apni Party led by Altaf Bukhari has extended support to jailed cleric Sarjan Ahmad Wagay, also known as Sarjan Barkati, who is contesting the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections as an independent candidate from Beerwah constituency of central Kashmir.
“We have not fielded our candidate from Beerwah constituency and the party has decided to extend support in favour of Sarjan Barkati,” Apni Party chief told media in Srinagar on Monday.
Bukhari appealed to all his Beerwah constituency party workers to extend full support to Barkati during the elections.
Barkati is contesting the Assembly election from Beerwah and Ganderbal constituencies against former Chief Minister and National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah.
However, Apni Party has not withdrawn its candidate Qazi Mubashir from the Ganderbal Assembly constituency.
Barkati initially filed his nomination papers from Zainapora constituency in south Kashmir but his papers were rejected due to “incomplete documents”.
Barkati was the central figure in the 2016 protest in Kashmir, which was triggered by the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen militant commander Burhan Wani on July 8, 2016, during an encounter. Barkati, a resident of Zainpora Shopian, had coined and popularised many slogans during the protests that lasted for over three months.
He was later booked under the Public Safety Act for organising anti-government rallies. He remained in custody for over four years. Last year, Jammu and Kashmir Police State Investigation Agency (SIA) arrested Barkati in a terror funding case. His wife was also arrested.
