PDP President Mehbooba Mufti accused the Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), led by jailed MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid, of being a proxy for the BJP, following an alleged violent attack on PDP candidate Yawar Shafi Banday in Shopian. Mufti claimed Banday was seriously injured by AIP workers and questioned how the party is managing to campaign and field candidates despite Rashid's imprisonment, suggesting they receive substantial government backing. She criticized the government for allegedly creating proxy parties after the abrogation of Article 370, asserting that AIP is being funded to undermine the PDP's influence in Jammu and Kashmir. Mufti demanded accountability for the attack on her candidate and expressed outrage over the lack of arrests, highlighting perceived double standards in law enforcement. She urged the public to remain vigilant against such proxy parties, which she believes are attempting to dilute the PDP's support base. Mufti emphasized that the PDP remains committed to representing the interests of the Kashmiri people amidst these challenges.