'Son Rise' in PDP, CM Mehbooba Mufti's Brother Joins PDP

Srinagar: Marking the 'son rise' in the ruling PDP, Tasaduq Mufti on Saturday joined the party on the first death anniversary of his father and former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, saying he dreams of cleaning up politics in Kashmir.

A famed cinematographer, Tasaduq joined the PDP at a function in Srinagar in the presence of his sister and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti besides other ministers and party leaders.

His entry comes at a time when PDP is looking at filling two Lok Sabha seats -- Anantnag and Srinagar.

Anantnag, the traditional base of the ruling PDP, fell vacant last year after incumbent Mehbooba became the Chief Minister and was elected as an MLA, following death of her father, the then Chief Minister.

Srinagar seat fell vacant in September last year when PDP member Tariq Hamid Karra resigned in protest against handling of the Kashmir unrest by his party's government.

The party may field Tasaduq from Anantnag constituency in a bid to retain the seat, for which elections could be announced any time.

In his brief acceptance speech, Tasaduq thanked the party workers for their love and affection towards PDP.

"I have remained aloof from politics all my life. But today I have joined the PDP officially and it is a very important day of my life. I will walk with you and take your aspirations along," he told the party cadres.

He said his dream was to clean up politics in Kashmir. "I have felt the pace of government work. The speed with which work happens here, what dream can be realised?"

Welcoming her brother into the party fold, Mehbooba said Tasaduq, like his father, has a dream to do something for Jammu and Kashmir.

"Tasaduq has his own identity and his own work. No one in Mumbai knew him as Mufti Sayeed's son till his second term (as chief minister). Like his father, he wants to do something for Jammu and Kashmir," she said in her address.

Known for his cinematography in movies like Omkara and Kaminey, Tasaduq is an American Film Institute graduate.

He is known in Bollywood as Tassaduq Hussain and does not use the famous Mufti surname.