A faction of the banned socio-religious group, Jamaat-e-Islami, floated a new political party in Jammu and Kashmir on Monday and pledged to raise people-centric issues, with an aim to contest in the upcoming panchayat elections in the Union Territory.
The JeI faction named the new political outfit “Justice and Development Front” (JDF) at a convention held in Kulgam on Sunday. The move came against the backdrop of a number of JeI members contesting the 2024 Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir after three decades of political boycott. The JeI is planning an official launch of the new outfit in Srinagar soon.
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“The new party is an extension of the JeI. It will carry forward the JeI’s ideological and political objectives. In 2024, we actively participated in the Assembly election. The new outfit will take part in all elections and will rely on the sympathy and support of JeI cadre,” former JeI member Shameem Ahmad Thoker said. Mr. Thoker was nominated as the president of the JDF.
In 2019, the Ministry of Home Affairs declared the JeI as an unlawful organisation and banned it. However, there were indicators from several JeI members that the Centre reached out to several members of the banned outfit in jail since 2019.
The newly floated JDF made it clear that its politics will revolve around development and governance issues. “Irrespective of who rules Jammu and Kashmir, our party will fight for issues such as jobs. It will stand with the government whenever it talks about well-being and welfare of people,” Mr. Thoker said.
He said the JDF will reach out at the district and village levels and make their plans public. “We want people to join us. When the government fails to deliver, we will raise our voice on behalf of the people,” Mr. Thoker said.
Aiming to reconnect with people at the grassroots level, the JDF leaders plan a public outreach to “work on society, character-building, morality, and collective progress”.
Sayar Ahmad Reshi, general secretary of the JDF, identified the rising drug menace as one of the key issues his party will work to curb. “Counselling of affected youth and the parents need to be organised to contain the drug menace,” Mr. Reshi said.
The JeI members failed to win any seat in the 2024 Assembly election but garnered around 26,000 votes. The new outfit also came into being with the panchayat elections round the corner.
“We will select educated persons from every area who would stand for their people and keep people away from all the social evils. God willing, we will contest local body elections, and we will sweep them,” he added.
Published – February 24, 2025 08:41 pm IST