J&K leaders discuss Assembly elections strategy with AICC leaders

Senior J&K Congress leaders during meeting with AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and Bharatsinh Solanki in New Delhi.
Senior J&K Congress leaders during meeting with AICC general secretary KC Venugopal and Bharatsinh Solanki in New Delhi.

Venugopal gets feedback on PCC chief, alliance

Gopal Sharma

JAMMU, Aug 8: Senior Congress leaders from J&K today discussed poll strategy, party alliance and security scenario in the JKUT, with senior AICC leaders ahead of Assembly elections at the party headquarters in New Delhi this evening.
Party sources told the Excelsior that All India Congress Committee general secretary (Organisation), K C Venugopal chaired the meeting on behalf of AICC vice president and LOP, Rahuld Gandhi while AICC general secretary and Incharge J&K affairs of the party, Bharatsinh Solanki and AICC Secretary, Co-incharge J&K, Manoj Yadav were also present.
During the meeting AICC general secretary (org), asked party leaders from J&K to intensify their activities and launch vigorous campaign, putting in their full might to grab maximum seats in the upcoming J&K Assembly elections.

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Sending a caution note to the rank and file in the party, Venugopal told the party leaders that indiscipline will not be tolerated in the party. “Whosoever, wants to leave the party, is free to do so. No one is above the party. The leader should take along all the people in the cadre and must put a united face in the public,” he strongly conveyed.
Venugopal also discussed current security scenario in the Jammu and Kashmir and sought feedback from the J&K leaders with regard to their opinion on pre-poll alliance with any like minded party and strengths of the party in various segments in the JKUT. He said the top party leadership was taking cognizance and keeping an eye on all the activities and developments within the organization in J&K.
The JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani, and some other leaders briefed the AICC leadership on the current political developments and overall security situation in the JK UT. They also revealed that during recent Lok Sabha elections NC contested three seats in Jammu and Kashmir and secured overall lakh votes while Congress contested two seats and grabbed nearly equal number of votes. The vote share of Congress has improved and possibility of securing good number of seats in Jammu region was much in the upcoming Assembly polls.
Later, AICC general secretary (Org), during one to one meeting with all the leaders from J&K took feedback on functioning of JKPCC chief, Vikar Rasool Wani, prospectus of Congress Party in J&K with alliance and without alliance, strengths and weaknesses of the party in Kashmir, Jammu and other sub regions including Doda region and Pir Panjal; North, Central and South Kashmir.
Sources added that some of the members supported present JKPCC chief while others spoke against him. Regarding party alliance, majority of the members suggested to contest Assembly elections at their own. But all of them suggested to contest elections with full might and it should be held in J&K along with three others states.
JKPCC chief spokespersons Ravinder Sharma also briefed AICC leadership about their meeting with the visiting Election Commissioner team at Srinagar today morning and stand of the J&K Congress with regard to the Assembly elections. It was demanded that Statehood be restored before Assembly elections in J&K.
Party sources said that Rahul Gandhi and AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge will seek feedback from K C Venugopal after the meeting and the top leadership will take decisions accordingly.
The meeting is seen as a crucial step in the Congress party’s efforts to revitalize its presence in the region, especially in Jammu region. With the Assembly elections drawing nearer, the party is keen to assess the ground situation and chalk- out fresh strategy to strengthen its ground.
JKPCC chief spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said that meeting was held in a very cordial atmosphere. It lasted for over two hours, The leadership sought feedback regarding preparedness for the party for Assembly elections, discussed strategy and possible alliance with the like minded parties.
Those who attended the meeting from J&K included, AICC general secretary and former JKPCC chief GA Mir, JKPCC president Vikar Rasool Wani, working president Raman Bhalla, AICC secretary Shahnawaz Choudhary, Ex-MP Tariq Hamid Karra, former JKPCC president Peerzada Mohammed Sayeed, former Dy Chief Minister Tara Chand, former MP and Minister Ch Lal Singh, former MP TS Bajwa; JKPCC senior vice presidents- Mula Ram, Ravinder Sharma, Ghulam Nabi Monga, Mohd Anwar Bhat, Balwan Singh; senior leaders-Haji Abdul Rashid, Yogesh Sawhney, Shabir Khan, Naresh Gupta, Th Balbir Singh, Indu Pawar, S S Channi, Yashpal Kundal, Neeraj Kundan, Raman Mattoo and Ashok Bhan.