Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party(JKPDP)

Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (JKPDP) is a regional political party in the state of Jammu and Kashmir. It was founded in the year 1999 by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, the former Union Home Minister in the V.P. Singh's regime Jan Morcha. A former member of the Indian National Congress, Sayeed parted ways with the Congress to join Jan Morcha in 1989. He rejoined the Congress within a brief span of time, which he ultimately quit, to form the JKPDP, along with his daughter Mehbooba Mufti in July 1999.

It is believed that Sayeed felt the need for a new party so as to "persuade the Government of India to initiate an unconditional dialogue with Kashmiris for resolution of the Kashmir problem." The JKPDP operates on the ideology of self-rule, as distinctly different from the issues of autonomy. It believes that self-rule as a political philosophy, as opposed to autonomy, ensures the empowerment of the people of Jammu and Kashmir, while further engaging in debates over new political territoriality of J&K. The JKPDP is determined to lead a way to the future of the present crisis in the J&K issue.

The JKPDP, through its political ideology, which found massive support among the people of the state, won the 2002 Legislative Assembly elections to the state of Jammu and Kashmir. Mufti Mohammad Sayeed became the Chief Minister of J&K in 2002 and remained in office till 2005. The JKPDP was in alliance with the Congress in the UPA, till 2009. Presently, the JKPDP has one Member of Parliament each, in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The party is presently led by Mehbooba Mufti, Sayeed’s daughter.

Election Symbol and its significance

The Election Symbol of the JKPDP, as approved by the Election Commission of India, is "Ink pot and pen". It is usually drawn on a green-coloured map of the state of Jammu and Kashmir. The Election Symbol of the JKPDP is significant as it represents the objectives of the party. The JKPDP ensures that a new future is assigned to the people of J&K, different from the growing tensions and increased crises that the state is facing, owing to issues of territoriality. The symbol is an attempt to persuade the Indian government to adopt a policy of reconciliation and engage in extensive unconditional dialogues with the people of the state, over the historic Kashmir issue. A new future must be written for the land, claims the JKPDP. This future will ensure that normalcy, democracy and Rule of Law are duly restored in the state, such that the residents of the state are freed from daily torture and oppression. The election symbol represents that the JKPDP having a significant role to play in the "writing" of a new land of hope of J&K, through viable economic and political negotiations. Hence, the immense importance attached to the symbol.

Leaders of JKPDP

The leaders of the JKPDP, who are also the national executives of the party, are listed below:

• Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, Founder and Chief Patron of the JKPDP
  He remained the Chief Minister of the state of J&K in 2002. He has served several terms as MP and MLA. Today he is the Chief Patron of the party, taking crucial decisions for the upholding of its political aims of resolving the Kashmir issue.
• Mehbooba Mufti, President of JKPDP
  As the daughter of Sayeed, Mehbooba took over her father’s role as President of the JKPDP. She was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha, representing the Anantnag constituency of J&K. She also remained a leader of opposition in the J&K Vidhan Sabha during Farooq Abdullah’s reign as Chief Minister of the state in the 1990s.
• Molvi Iftikhar Ansari, Vice-President of JKPDP
  He is a Kashmiri Shia cleric, and a Member of Parliament of the state legislative assembly in J&K, representing the Pattan constituency in J&K. He was also the CM of J&K from November 2002 to November 2005.
• Sardar Rangeel Singh, Vice-President of JKPDP
• Mohammad Dilawar Mir, General Secretary of JKPDP
• Thakur Balbir Singh, General Secretary of JKPDP
• Dr. Sameer Koul, National Spokesperson of JKPDP

Achievements of the party

As a regional political party, the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democracy Party has had a number of significant achievements. Some of these are listed below:

• The JKPDP has been one of the primary proponents in ensuring talks to normalize the relation between India and Pakistan on the Kashmir issue. It has initiated a number of Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) to uphold its objectives of incorporating economic, social and political empowerment to a new land of J&K which would not be burdened with baseless tensions over territoriality concerns.


• To enhance the economy of the state, the JKPDP, when in power revived the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad and Poonch-Rawalkote trade routes. It also opened the cross LoC trade route. The party revived the tourist trade in Kashmir which significantly added to the revenue of the land.
• It has implemented a number of PWD projects, like engaging in a thousand crore initiative of the NUURM, preservation of the Dal Lake, restoration of historic sites of Shalimar gardens, Aali Masjid, Harparbat Fort, construction of flyover at Jehengir Chowk and others.
• The JKPDP has initiated education funds for the women and youth of the state. It established two universities, the Islamic University and Baba Ghulam Shah University, for rich education to be imparted to the youth in the state.
• It persuaded the Union government for increased fund allocation to the state of J&K for overall growth and development in the state.

Address and contact details

Official Website of JKPDP: http://jkpdp.org/
Head-Office Address of JKPDP: 2, Circuit House, Emporium Lane, Residency Road, Srinagar 191001, Jammu & Kashmir
Contact Numbers - (0194) 2483422
Jammu Office Address of JKPDP: A-2, Govt. Quarter, Gandhinagar, Jammu 180004, Jammu & Kashmir
Contact Numbers - (0191) 2451228
Email id: [email protected]