Setback to LJP as office leaders float new party in J and K

Jammu, Mar 9 (UNI) The Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) today suffered a major setback in Jammu and Kashmir as its state office bearers floated a new 'Awami Jan Shakti' party.

At a press conference here, spokesman and senior vice-president of the newly constituted Awami Jan Shakti Reshi Abdul Hamid said the LJP had not come up to the expectation of people of Jammu and Kashmir, which forced its workers to float a new party in the state.

According to party sources, this step was taken by the LJP office bearers against the appointment of Mr Rafiq Malik as state president.

On March 6, Mr A K Bajpai (LJP in-charge J and K) held a meeting with party workers but negotiations on the appointment of Mr Malik failed, sources said.

However, Mr Bajpai, when contacted, told UNI over phone from New Delhi that Mr Paswan had dissolved the state body of LJP with effect from March 6 and had appointed Mr Rafiq Malik as new party president of J and K.

About the LJP office bearers floating a new party, he said, ''Let them do whatever they would like to...we are not concerned with that.'' ''I am communicating the new decision of the party to the press as well as Election Commissioner today,'' he added.

Former Jammu and Kashmir LJP president Peerzada Abdul Hamid has been elected the Chairman of Awami Jan Shakti. Jammu and Kashmir LJP president Sanjeev Manmotra will remain the president of Awami Jan Shakti.

''LJP has no interest in development and growth of people in Jammu and Kashmir,'' Mr Hamid said, adding they had kept themselves away from the public meeting held by Mr Paswan during the recent one-day visit to Jammu.

UNI