SRINAGAR, Aug 27: Iltija Mufti, 35, daughter of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chief Mehbooba Mufti, on Tuesday made her electoral debut by filing the nomination papers from the Bijbehara constituency of south Kashmir.
Bijbehara is a traditional bastion of the PDP and it has been represented from 1999 to 2018 by senior party leader Abdul Rehman Veeri.
“The party has shown belief in me and chose me to contest the Bijbehara Assembly constituency,” Iltija told media persons in Anantnag on Tuesday.
She said that her grandfather Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and mother Mehbooba Mufti had also started their politics in Bijbehara.
“Today it is a very emotional moment for me and I am truly honoured,” she said.
Mehbooba Mufti, has vowed not to contest Assembly elections until statehood was restored.
ltija who is also the media adviser to PDP Chief Mehbooba came to the spotlight in 2019 when J&K special status was abrogated and all leaders were put behind bars. At that time she openly talked against the abrogation and handled her mother's social media accounts for over a year.
During the Lok Sabha poll, Iltija extensively campaigned for her mother, who unsuccessfully contested the Anantnag seat.
