Srinagar, Jan 30 (IANS): Bilal Gani Lone, brother of former minister and leader of his faction of the Peoples Conference (PC), on Wednesday changed the name of his party to end name-confusion with the PC.

Bilal's elder brother, Sajad Lone was also a separatist leader before he joined the mainstream politics to fight elections in 2014.

Sajad Lone has been working to cobble up a third front which could pose challenge to the Farooq Abdullah-led National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP.

Ever since his brother joined mainstream politics, Bilal Lone has been criticized for holding on to the name PC while existing in the separatist camp.

Senior separatist leader, Miwaiz Umer Farooq made this announcement during a media conference here.

Bilal Lone is part of the moderate separatist group led by Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and has renamed his party as J&K Peoples Independent Movement.

Father of Sajad and Bilal, Abdul Gani Lone was killed by gunmen in Srinagar during a separatist rally on May 21, 2002.

"I have been very close to my father and just to avoid confusion in taking forward my father's legacy, changing the name of my party was inevitable.

"After taking my workers into confidence, I changed the name of my party", Bilal said.