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Mehboob Beg quits NC, supports PDP
Majid Jahangir & Suhail A Shah

Srinagar/Anantnag, Nov 16
In a setback to the ruling National Conference (NC) ahead of the J-K Assembly elections, veteran leader and former Lok Sabha MP Mehboob Beg today quit the party and extended unconditional support to his PDP rival Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.

He also turned down the NC mandate given to him to contest elections from the Anantnag Assembly segment. Beg said he would ask people to vote for Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as only he can stop the BJP from getting a foothold in Kashmir. "I will do door-to-door campaign in favour of Mufti sahib," said Beg while addressing his supporters in Anantnag today.

Terming his decision as painful, Beg said he won't be joining the PDP or any other party. Beg said he was never taken into confidence by the NC leadership and his suggestions on organisational matters and development works in Anantnag were ignored. Beg said: "I don't think that I have a chance to win against Mufti Muhammad Sayeed as the NC has nothing to show in its six-year rule." Castigating CM Omar Abdullah for taking too long to decide his candidature from Anantnag, Beg said he was being constantly sidelined.