Cong Party’s debacle in Jammu region
*Wrong selection, ‘friendly-contest’ caused much damage
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Oct 24: After Party’s debacle in the recently held Assembly elections in Jammu region, the Congress Fact Finding Committee is believed to reaching up to depth, investigating the causes responsible for it, and unlikely to spare any one within the party, as the party high command has given free hand to the panel.
Click Here To Join Daily Excelsior on WhatsApp And Get Latest News
Party sources said that Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi and AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge have taken serious note of the party’s debacle in Jammu region as out of 29, just one party candidate could secure win that too, on reserved (ST) seat from Rajouri, in Pir Panjal region. No Hindu candidate could secure win on any seat in Jammu region.
Sources said that party high command has asked the Congress panel to go into detail, sparing no one in the party to investigate the causes in very fair manner, fixing responsibility on the people behind it, and suggest measures for the future. The sources further added that in view of the time limit of just 30 days given to the committee in completion of the task, the panel may further seek some more time as it has to cover all the 10 districts in Jammu region besides some areas of Kashmir.
A few members of the panel, without being quoted revealed that as per the initial inputs being provided by the grassroots level party workers, the so called ‘friendly-contest’ on six seats and that too, in Jammu region, and wrong selection of candidates on some of the important seats was the main reason behind party’s debacle in Jammu region.
They said some party members indicated that here was strong resentment among the general category people as from the open seat of Chhamb, instead of open category candidate, a Scheduled Caste candidate was fielded and from Doda West open seat also, again a reserved category candidate was given the mandate. The general category people voted against Congress candidates on these seats. Even on some seats, Brahman and Mahajan candidates despite their higher population in the areas, were neglected. They termed it as a blunder committed by the party leadership.
Referring to the feedback from the party functionaries at even Ward, Block and District levels, they said that seat sharing with the National Conference was not fair and justified. The public sentiment in Jammu region was totally anti-BJP due to smart meters, unemployment, heavy taxes and inflation but results remained surprising. If not fifty-fifty, at least 50:40 seat sharing formula should have been formulated. With friendly-contest Congress practically was reduced to 26-27 seats. “Had Congress contested at its own, it would have won more seats,” they suggested.
“The dominating party leadership in Kashmir, focused much to keep their own seats safe and secure, without caring for the fate of Jammu seats. where Congress otherwise could have been better prospects. At some places, the National Conference fielded their candidates as Independents. Moreover, by fielding their favourites by some senior Congress leaders, for their ‘vested interests’, were also some of the solid reasons behind failure of party in Jammu region,” they said, quoting party functionaries.
The late release of lists of the candidates, thus reducing the campaign time, was also indicated as one of the reasons behind failure, They said many top leaders of the party failed to hold rallies in several constituencies and Congress campaign remained weak as compared to their counterparts in the Jammu and Kashmir. Some of the top leaders just stayed in the 5/3 Star Hotels at Jammu and Srinagar and hardly visited respective constituencies of their candidates, sending ‘needle of suspicion’ about their role.
Chairman of the Committee, Ravinder Sharma when contacted said that committee has been given free hand by the top leadership and it their commenced its work. He said panel members held their meeting and prepared road map. Members also reached out to many party workers and functionaries for collecting their feedback. He said the Fact Finding Committee will do its work sincerely, suggesting measures for future and submit the report to the JKPCC president for further submission to the party high command.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
