Srinagar: Former MLA from Sangrama, Shoaib Nabi Lone, is joining the Peoples Democratic Party on Wednesday, sources disclosed.
Sources said that Shoaib is joining the PDP today.
Shoaib is likely to be PDP’s candidate from the Baramulla Assembly segment, where the party had fielded Rafiq Rather in the 2024 assembly elections.
Riding on a sympathy wave, Shoaib won the by-election in Sangrama around 20 years ago following the assassination of his father, Dr. Ghulam Nabi Lone. In that by-election in 2006, Shoaib defeated Javid Baig. Since then, Shoaib has struggled in politics and failed to win any further elections.
PDP will be the fourth party Shoaib is joining. Earlier, he was associated with Congress, NC, and AIP.
Shoaib’s exit is being viewed as a setback for the AIP, led by Er. Rashid, as several of its leaders have already switched sides to other parties, particularly the PDP, in the aftermath of the 2024 elections—(KNO)