Who is Altaf Bukhari, PDP-Congress-NC’s Likely J&K CM Candidate?

The senior PDP leader is the former finance minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Senior PDP leader Altaf Bukhari is the former finance minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

(Photo: PTI)

Politics in Jammu and Kashmir has taken a new turn with talks of an alliance between the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP), the National Conference (NC) and the Congress. The three are likely to stake claim to form a new government – with senior PDP leader, Syed Altaf Bukhari, likely to be the consensus chief ministerial candidate.

Here’s everything you need to know about the state’s next probable Chief Minister.

Industrialist and Agriculturist

A leading businessman and horticulturist, Bukhari is the owner of FIL Industries, Asia’s third largest fruit juice concentrate manufacturing unit. In the past, he has been on the Board of Directors of the National Horticulture Board, and on the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Delhi.

The senior leader has also served on the board of Management of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agriculture Sciences and Technology, in Jammu and Kashmir.

A Successful Politician

In the 2014 Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, Bukhari contested and won from the Amira Kadal constituency in Srinagar. The PDP leader defeated the BJP’s candidate, Hina Bhatt, in the process.

In March 2014, Bukhari was appointed as the state’s Finance Minister after Haseeb Drabu, was sacked by the then state Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti for his remarks that Kashmir is “not a political issue”.

J&K’s Next Potential CM

Altaf Bukhari is the frontrunner for the post of chief minister if the three big parties in the state form the government in the state that has been under the Governor’s rule for the last five months.

According to local daily Greater Kashmir, Bukhari confirmed that the three parties were in talks to form a government, after a meeting with former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.

“There is a progress [on the talks] among the three parties. Keeping in view the political situation and special status of the state, the three parties have decided to join hands.” 

Altaf Bukhari to <i>Greater Kashmir</i>

He said, “Very soon you will get a good news, reported ANI.

The PDP has 28 seats in the state Assembly, the NC has 15, and the Congress 12. The three parties together make it 55 – more than the required number of 44 in the 87-member house.