The Assembly elections in Kashmir are luring former separatists or their kin in hordes.

After separatist Jamaat-e-Islami’s decision to field candidates in the elections, several others are taking the leap individually.

Former Hurriyat leader Salim Gilani on Sunday joined the PDP. He was welcomed by party chief Mehbooba Mufti and is likely to contest from Srinagar.

Gilani was once appointed by Hurriyat as interlocutor for facilitating the return of Kashmir Pandits to the Valley.

Another prominent face, Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, a senior functionary of the High Court Bar Association, is campaigning for the party of jailed Baramulla MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid aka Engineer Rashid.

Aga Syed Muntazir, son of Hurriyat leader Aga Syed Hassan, and Javaid Hubi, son of former separatist Dr Ghulam Mohammad Hubi, have joined the PDP and Engineer’s Awami Itehaad Party, respectively.

Gilani, justifying his decision to join the PDP, said he was always inspired by the party as it talked about the resolution of the Kashmir issue and the freedom of
detainees.