J&K: Ex-members of banned Jamaat-e-Islami launch new outfit to contest polls

Srinagar, Feb 23 (PTI) Several former members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI) on Sunday announced the formation of a new political outfit to contest polls in Jammu and Kashmir under one umbrella.

The former members, some of whom had contested last year’s assembly elections as independent candidates, have named the outfit the Jammu and Kashmir Justice and Development Front.

The announcement was made at a workers’ convention in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district — once a support base of the JeI.

Speaking to reporters after the convention, former JeI member Shameem Ahmad and the president of the front, said they have “started a new movement”.

“We were not sad because we lost the polls, we got 26,000 votes… People supported us a lot. It was after 37 years that our people organised themselves and came forward to vote for us,” he said, referring to the former JeI members’ performance in last year’s assembly polls.

Another former JeI member Sayir Reshi, who contested the assembly polls unsuccessfully from the Kulgam segment, said the aim of the new front is to establish a political system that is based on “justice and endeavours for real development”.

“We want to establish a system which is not based on fooling the people,” he said.

Reshi said the front did not have its registration in the last assembly elections, “Otherwise, we would have contested the polls under one symbol”.

“We have made a formal announcement today, but it will be formally launched from Srinagar,” he added.

Reshi, who is the general secretary of the front, said the new outfit would select educated people from every area who would stand for their people and keep the people away from all the social evils.

He also announced that the front will contest all future elections in Jammu and Kashmir.

“God willing, we will contest the local bodies elections, and we will sweep them,” he asserted.