The Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) on Friday decided to retain Sheikh Abdul Rashid, known as Engineer Rashid, as a Member of Parliament from Baramulla after he had expressed his intention to resign. The decision came through a secret ballot poll conducted by the party.
Secret Ballot Results
Party observer Pervez Bhat announced the results, stating that a total of 773 votes were cast. The ballot offered three options: continuation of Rashid as MP, favoring his resignation, and NOTA. According to Bhat, 746 votes were polled against the idea of Rashid's resignation, while 24 votes were cast in support of his intent to resign. Three votes were cast in favor of NOTA.
Bhat said the majority of voters want him to continue as an MP. “They are satisfied with his work,” he added.
Background of Resignation Intent
The secret ballot was held after the party conducted deliberations over the preceding two days in the wake of Rashid’s intent to resign as an MP, as he continues to remain in custody. He had announced his intention to resign at the funeral of his father last month after obtaining bail.
Legal and Political Context
Rashid, the MP from north Kashmir’s Baramulla, defeated Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. He is currently facing trial in a terror funding case, with allegations that he funded separatists and terror groups in Jammu and Kashmir. He has been lodged in Delhi’s Tihar Jail since 2019 after the National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested him in connection with the 2017 terror-funding case.
