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Bilal Lone may be expelled as People's Conference representative in Hurriyat

A press statement attributed to jailed PC general secretary Ghulam Mohammad Gulzar and circulated from the Hurriyat headquarters in Srinagar on Saturday said, "The members of the controversial supreme council, formed unconstitutionally after the killing of Abdul Gani Lone, have been expelled from the basic membership of the party for taking part - directly or indirectly - in the assembly elections."

Ghulam Mohiuddin Sofi and Abdul Haq Khan filed their nominations from Handwara and Lolab constituencies respectively on Thursday, causing a furore in separatist circles as the two were known to be close aides of Abdul Gani Lone.

"The Lone brothers (Bilal and Sajjad) have fielded dummy candidates in the polls," Gulzar said.

However, Sajjad Lone, who took over reins of the party after his father's assassination in May, said Khan was never a member of the party and that Sofi had resigned from it to contest the elections.

He also told PTI that Gulzar had been expelled from the party a month back 'for having links with a National Conference minister'.

Hurriyat sources said the separatist conglomerate was likely to back Gulzar.

The expulsion move seems to be an attempt by the Hurriyat to test the waters before expelling Bilal from the membership of its executive council on Monday when the amalgam meets to discuss the issue of the candidates being fielded in Kupwara district.

"Gulzar has been the general secretary of the PC since the time Abdul Gani Lone was alive and the Hurriyat will definitely accept him as the party's leader," they said.

Gulzar has urged PC cadres to meet jailed party vice-chairman Ghulam Mohammad Hubbi for consultations on electing a new chairman within three months.

He said they should nominate an acting chairman immediately to represent the party in the Hurriyat Conference.

Sajjad said the developments were 'an internal matter of PC and Hurriyat cannot interfere in it'.

PTI

Jammu and Kashmir Elections 2002: The complete coverage

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