Rahim Rather’s son Hilal joins PC in Srinagar

Sajad Lone welcomes him into party fold, Says Hilal is new generation leader, will play pivotal role in future politics of J&K

Sajad Lone welcomes him into party fold, Says Hilal is new generation leader, will play pivotal role in future politics of J&K

Srinagar, Oct 16 (KNS): In a significant political development Hilal Rather, son of veteran NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather joined the Peoples Conference in the presence of PC President Sajad Gani Lone and other senior leaders of the party on Saturday.

Notably, he is the second prominent NC leader to join the Peoples Conference in recent months after Basharat Bukhari joined the PC some months ago. 

Abdul Rahim Rather has been a six-time legislator, representing the Chrar-e-Sharief constituency for a record of 36 years. His son joining the PC is yet another jolt to the National Conference which had suffered the exit of Devender Singh Rana and Salathia barely a week ago. 

Hilal Rather’s joining is a major shot in the arm for the Peoples Conference which has been growing exponentially and emerging as one of the big parties in the Kashmir region under the leadership of Sajad Lone. 

Off late the party has seen entry of prominent and veteran political leaders which has bolstered its presence across the valley. 

Hilal’s joining the party is also seen as a timely boost for the PC at a time when there are murmurs about unhappiness in a section of the NC toward their party leadership. This will certainly help the PC to consolidate a major vote bank in Central Kashmir and put the party in an advantageous position. 

Talking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), PC president, Sajad Gani Lone said that Hilal Rather is like a younger brother to hime and he had known him for decades now. 

“He is an enterprising, educated and capable young man who has the interests of the people of J&K at the core of his politics. Interestingly, he had promised me long back that he will one day join me in this caravan of change. And today he has fulfilled his commitment. He is a new generation leader who will, in the future, play a pivotal role in the politics of J&K and facilitate J&K’s transition from changelessness to change,” he said.

Speaking to Kashmir News Service (KNS), Hilal Rather said that he has known Sajad Lone for a very long time and he thinks around 10-15 years back they were having dinner and he told him that one day he would want to work with him. 

“And that day has come today. I'm joining Sajad bhai because I am inspired by him. He is an intellectual politician which is a rarity. And I am sure that his out of box thinking will usher in a change whenever he gets a chance.”

When asked has he done it with his father's wish, Hilal Rather said that he is a proud son of his proud father. “My father has always been magnanimous to give me autonomy, the freedom to make my own decisions. He has never interfered in my decision making. Even when I was a businessman, he would never interfere. He has gives us the space to make our own decisions. It is my decision. I am a person in my own right to make my decisions,” he said. (KNS)

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