Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Mar 8: Expressing happiness over the pre-poll alliance with National Conference for the forthcoming Parliamentary polls, senior Congress leader and Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad today said that though the electoral alliance was in place, it is imperative that the understanding should actually percolate to the grass root level for obtaining the desired results.
This was stated by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) general Secretary, while talking to EXCELSIOR from New Delhi.
Commenting over the seat-sharing pact between the alliance partners, Mr Azad said, “the alliance would benefit the Congress party in Jammu and Ladakh regions while as National Conference is likely to gain in Kashmir region”.
Cautioning against any sort of complacency during elections, Mr Azad said, “though an electoral pact had been arrived at between the top leadership of respective parties, it is necessary that the alliance should be reflected on ground as well”.
“The success of the electoral alliance would rest on how well the ground workers of both the political parties implement it at the lowest level — from district, village to even booth level”, he said adding, “more than reaching an alliance, it is important that the intentions of both political parties should translate into votes”.
“Congress-NC alliance can retain all six seats in the Parliamentary elections, if the leaders work in tandem with each other”, he asserted.
Asked about the reason for the names of J&K candidates not figuring among the first list released by Congress Election Committee today, Mr Azad remarked, “the consultation process is on and the decision will be taken very shortly. There was every possibility of party repeating its existing candidates for Jammu-Poonch and Udhampur-Doda in the Parliamentary polls, but final decision will be taken after considering all factors. Even for the Ladakh seat, there are few contenders but a formal decision is yet to be taken”.
On the reports of several State Congress leaders rushing to New Delhi to urge party high command to field him from Udhampur-Doda seat, Mr Azad quipped, “I am already over-burdened by several responsibilities given to me by the party leadership and there are several States to be taken care of in view of the approaching Parliamentary polls”.
Pertinently, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, besides other responsibilities given by the Congress party is also Chairman of the Screening Committee, which has the onus of selecting candidates in States of Kerala, Lakshadweep, Puducherry and Tamil Nadu during the Lok Sabha polls starting from April 7.
To strengthen the base of party in the State ahead of Parliamentary polls, the former Chief Minister will be holding a whirlwind tour of Rajouri and Poonch districts starting from March 13 in Nowshera area and the tour is likely to conclude on March 15.
The Core-Committee meeting of All India Congress Committee (AICC), which was held at Prime Minister’s residence yesterday, had formally put its seal of approval on the electoral alliance with National Conference (NC) for the forthcoming Parliamentary elections in the State.
As per the seat sharing pact arrived between the coalition partners, each party would be contesting three seats. While Congress would be contesting three seats of Kashmir Valley, which included Srinagar-Budgam, Baramulla-Kupwara and Anantnag-Pulwama, Congress would be fielding its candidates on Jammu-Poonch, Udhampur-Doda and Ladakh seats.
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