Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti on Monday said jailed Baramulla Lok Sabha member Sheikh Abdul Rashid’s party was the new proxy of the BJP-led Centre after others had failed to make a mark.

Mehbooba is the second top Kashmir politician after National Conference leader Omar Abdullah to claim that the Centre was providing logistics and financial support to candidates from Engineer Rashid’s Awami Itehaad Party (AIP) who are fighting as Independents.

Former chief minister Mehbooba said the Centre was fielding Independents to divide the votes and help other proxies.

“I want to warn people not to fall into the trap of proxy parties. There is a big power backing them. The PDP is their main target,” she told reporters in Srinagar.

“All the parties that are coming forward as Independents, in the form of AIP (Engineer’s party), are being funded… when other proxies failed in the Parliament elections. Now they are projecting Engineer Rashid’s party,” she said.

The PDP chief had strongly backed Rashid's release from Tihar jail in the recent past. The party had fiercely criticised Omar a few months ago after he appeared to back claims that Rashid's victory could empower separatists.

Mehbooba publicly criticised Rashid's party after his supporters allegedly attacked Yawar Banday, a PDP candidate in south Kashmir, and his supporters. She said Banday suffered a head injury, his ribs were broken and his condition was serious.

The PDP chief wondered how a jailed politician’s party was getting resources to field candidates everywhere.

“They are hiring scores of vehicles and apparently are not even touched by the law... who gives them this impunity?” she asked.

Mehbooba claimed if her party had engaged in “such vandalism”, all its leaders would have been in jail. “Why are they still roaming free? Why hasn’t anyone been arrested so far?” she asked.

She said all parties except the PDP, NC and the Congress were being funded and urged people to remain vigilant.

On Friday, NC vice-president Omar had said Delhi was fielding jailed politicians to ensure his defeat. The NC leader had lost the Baramulla seat to Rashid after he joined the fray at the eleventh hour.

Omar said a jailed politician (separatist Sarjan Barkati) had been fielded against him in Ganderbal.