Srinagar, Apr 13: Breaking his long silence, senior Peoples Democratic Party leader and former Finance Minister, Tariq Hamid Karra, Wednesday, said that party leadership   had sidelined the veterans.
 “The party has sidelined the founder leaders while new team that had no role in the formation of the party has been given the charge. I’m not able to understand why the PDP has distanced itself from the people who played crucial role in its formation,” Kara told a local news agency KNS.
 “It is unfortunate that those people have taken lead roles in the party who have joined politics either to evade tax payments or to save themselves as they were involved in land scandals,” Karra alleged.
 “The way PDP has maintained distance from  me it seems that party doesn’t need me. I believe in clean politics and will never compromise on that,” he added.
 Terming the politics as “art of possibilities”, Karra dismissed the reports that he was planning to launch a new party. “There is no such proposal and I’m ready to remain as a 12th man in the team. PDP is the largest opposition party in the state and I’ve worked really hard in initial years to make the party vibrant and strong. As General Secretary of the PDP, I traveled across the state to reach out to the people,” he said.
 Asked to comment on the rumors that he was planning to join National Conference or Congress, Karra said, “I don’t want to comment on rumors. But whenever I’ve to take any decision I’ll make it public.” However, the former minister was quick to add, “Nobody knows what will happen tomorrow.”
 On the election of Muhammad Ashraf Mir as PDP candidate for Legislative Council, he said, “I can’t comment on it as the party didn’t consult me before taking the decision.”

Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Apr 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 13 Apr 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 14 Apr 2011 00:00:00 IST