Blame game begins over defeat of LS candidates
Nishikant Khajuria
JAMMU, June 8: As the BJP won Jammu as well as Udhampur Parliamentary seats for the third consecutive time in the recently held Lok Sabha general elections, blame game has begun within the Congress party in J&K besides demand for change of guard.
Upset over the defeat of the party candidates, a group of senior Congress leaders and former Ministers in J&K are learnt to have approached the party high command and sought action against those who were at the helm of affairs, but did not work sincerely for victory in the elections.
Sources in the Congress circles told the Excelsior that some senior leaders have dashed a letter to the party high command seeking immediate intervention for course correction in Jammu and Kashmir where Assembly elections are likely to be held by September this year.
Alleging that Pradesh Congress Committee was virtually defunct in J&K, these leaders are learnt to have sought immediate discussion over the reasons for failure of Congress party to win Jammu as well as Udhampur Parliamentary seats despite strong anti-incumbency factor in the recently held Lok Sabha elections.
Source said that the party high command has been urged to depute an observer and convene meetings of J&K Political Affairs Committee, State Election Committee and Campaign Committee, headed by Tariq Hamid Karra, JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani and former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, respectively, for a serious discussion over the issue.
“There is discontentment in the party over defeat of our candidates despite strong anti-incumbency factor and someone has to take responsibility for the rout,” said a senior Congress leader on the condition of anonymity.
He alleged that a half hearted approach was adopted in the Lok Sabha election, particularly on Jammu seat and those at the helm of affairs did not utilize the resources, including Congress leadership.
Another senior Congress leader and former Minister confirmed that the party high command has been urged to immediately affect change of guard in Jammu and Kashmir as a stalwart is required to lead the party in the upcoming Assembly elections here.
“The incumbent PCC president is not matured enough and the high command must send someone senior who can lead the party in Assembly polls and look confident while holding parleys with coalition partners like Farooq Abdullah,” he explained.
Pointing out that issue of J&K Assembly elections and gearing up for the same was also prominently discussed in the Congress Working Committee meeting at New Delhi today, the former minister claimed that the party high command has been apprised of the resentment among Congress activists against the incumbent leadership with the request for necessary action.
When contacted, JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani claimed that there was no such discontentment among the Congress leaders in J&K as the party performance on both the Lok Sabha seats during recently held elections was satisfactory.
“I have come to know that a few persons had complained about non availability of adequate funds in the elections and the matter has already been clarified. Even if someone has written any letter against others, the high command does not take cognizance of such attempts,” he said.
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