Srinagar, June 21, KDC: The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) on Sunday said it will seek the opinion of its grassroots cadre across the Baramulla parliamentary constituency on the expressed intention of Member of Parliament Engineer Rashid to step down from the Lok Sabha, citing his inability to effectively reach out to and serve the people who elected him.
In a statement, AIP Chief Spokesperson Inam Un Nabi said the party’s Committee on Political Affairs held detailed deliberations on the issue and decided to launch a broad-based consultation process involving party office-bearers and cadres from all 18 Assembly segments of the Baramulla Lok Sabha constituency.
He said party functionaries at various levels would participate in a two-day consultative exercise to deliberate on whether Engineer Rashid should continue as a Member of Parliament or relinquish the position. If required, the party may also conduct a secret ballot among its cadres to enable members to express their views freely and without any pressure.
According to the spokesperson, party office-bearers at the panchayat and block levels will engage with the public and various sections of society to gather feedback on the issue, and their final opinion will reflect the sentiments expressed by the people during the consultation process.
Inam said the objective is to ensure that any decision regarding Engineer Rashid’s future as MP is guided by the wishes and aspirations of the people who reposed their trust in him and the party. He added that the outcome of the consultations and any subsequent voting process would be formally conveyed to Engineer Rashid to enable him to take an informed decision on the matter.
Reiterating AIP’s commitment to internal democracy and public accountability, the spokesperson said the party believes major decisions should be shaped by the collective wisdom of its cadre and the people it represents. (KDC)
