Vilakshan claims support of working committee
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 2: Jammu Kashmir National Panthers today witnessed another vertical split as former Minister Harsh Dev Singh declared himself as new president of the party whereas the incumbent Vilakshan Singh claimed that he enjoys the support of the majority of working committee members of JKNPP.
This is the second split in Panthers Party since the death of founder President Prof Bhim Singh, who had passed away on May 31, last year. Both Harsh Dev Singh and Vilakshan Singh are first cousins and nephews of Prof Bhim Singh.
In a written statement, Harsh Dev Singh said that Panthers Working Committee met here today at Jammu and unanimously elected him as the new State President of the party.
“The motion was moved by Bansi Lal Sharma Advocate, Founder member and Ex-President of the Party and carried unanimously by the members of the Working Committee,” reads the statement, adding that the election was necessitated as the term of the previous President (Vilakshan Singh) had expired on 23rd March and the election for the State President had become overdue.
On the other hand, Vilakshan Singh has claimed that he is the legally elected President of JKNPP and enjoys the support of the majority of the Working Committee of the party.
Describing Harsh Dev’s claim as false and illegal, Vilakshan Singh said that no working committee meeting had been called by him (Vilakshan) and only he has the authority to call such meeting of the party. He informed that working committee of the party would be convened soon after which future course of action will be decided.
According to Vilakshan Singh, a dispute between him and Harsh Dev Singh arose after National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah allegedly made some controversial remark against Lord Rama in a function organized by JKNPP and he condemned the same. “Harsh Dev was pressing me not to speak against the remark,” Vilakshan claimed.
It may be recalled that after the death of Prof Bhim Singh, there was a split in JKNPP as some working committee members elected Vilakshan Singh as the new president while a few others announced P K Ganju as the head. That time Harsh Dev Singh was in Aam Aadmi Party, which he quit on February last and rejoined Vilakshan group of the Panthers Party.
According to the sources, ever since re-entry of Harsh Dev Singh, there was pressure on Vilakshan Singh to announce the former as new President. However, differences between the cousins (Harsh Dev and Vilakshan) widened over joining hands with National Conference and Farooq Abdullah.
While Harsh Dev Singh is in favour of unity among all the opposition parties, Vilakshan expressed reservations over joining hands with parties like `Kashmir centric NC’, sources said.
Besides Bansi Lal Sharma, JKNPP leaders Masood Andrabi, Manju Singh, Ch Mohd Iqbal, Gagan Pratap Singh, Parshotam Parihar, Desh Rattan Pandita, Basharat Ali, Sdr Paramjeet Marshall, Rajinder Singh Manju, Ajay Singh Jamwal and D R Attri were present in the meeting wherein Harsh Dev Singh was declared as president of JKNPP following which Vilakshan Singh left the meet.
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