Srinagar, May 7 : The People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which shares power with the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir, has suffered a setback with two of its influential leaders quitting the party to join the National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Forum (PDF), while a rebel leader has floated a new political outfit. In the run-up to elections in the state, scheduled later this year, this comes as a major boost to the PDP’s rival parties.

PDP’s former general secretary Javeed Ahmed Dar, who quit the party recently, joined the NC on Wednesday in the presence of party patron and former chief minister Farooq Abdullah.

Welcoming Dar, Abdullah said the party would be strengthened as Dar was an influential leader from Rafiabad in Baramulla district. Sources said Dar was likely to be NC’s candidate from Rafiabad and would be pitched against PDP’s Dilawar Mir in the polls.

On the other hand, veteran trade union leader Ishtiaq Qadri joined the PDF headed by Transport Minister Hakeem Mohammad Yaseen. Qadri was PDP’s head of labour cell.

Ghulam Hassan Mir, who was expelled from the PDP for indulging in “anti-party” activities earlier this year, on Wednesday floated the Jammu and Kashmir Democratic Party (JKDP).

The rebel leader, who represents the Gulmarg Assembly constituency, has long maintained that the PDP is “no more a democratic party” and has turned into a fiefdom of former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and his daughter and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.