Hiccups in NC-Cong coalition as last day for filing nominations nears
Fayaz Bukhari
SRINAGAR, Aug 24: As uncertainty looms over the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance for Assembly elections, Congress leaders from Jammu and Kashmir today presented a list of candidates for all 90-Assembly constituencies across J&K to the Election Screening Committee of the party.
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The meeting of the Election Screening Committee of All India Congress Committee (AICC) was today held with the leaders of the local Congress party here at a hotel where preparations for the elections were discussed.
The meeting was chaired by Congress party’s election in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa along with Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra. The meeting was attended by senior leaders G A Mir, Vikar Rasool Wani, Shahnawaz Choudhary and others.
The meeting lasted for several hours and they deliberated on protecting the interests of party workers while going for seat sharing with the NC for the Assembly elections.
A party leader said that some Congress leaders expressed their reservations on seat sharing as they questioned the NC’s sincerity towards the coalition.
The Congress leaders presented a list of party candidates for all 90 constituencies as part of an exigency plan to the Screening Committee. It was decided that no leader from Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) will be welcomed in the Congress.
The committee was informed that on multiple seats, Congress party wasn’t considered for the mandate despite being way above the NC candidates but still the seats were given to NC. Also, on those seats which were offered to the Congress party, NC probable candidates had given a statement that they will not abide by the decision and will contest the elections on the party symbol.
The party leader said that it was communicated to the high command that party leaders from Jammu and Kashmir are of the opinion that the interests of party workers were not safeguarded in seat-sharing with the NC.
The Party leader said that Randhawa will be taking the findings of the report to Congress president Malikarjun Kharge and then to Rahul Gandhi after which a decision will be taken on seat sharing or final shape of the alliance.
Since the alliance was announced by NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah, no formal list of candidates has been released by either party but few NC leaders have submitted their candidatures before the Returning Officers.
A statement issued by the Congress said that Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa, Chairman of the AICC Screening Committee and Sachin Rao today held a detailed discussion with Congress leadership over the upcoming Assembly Elections in J&K, besides debating on a wide range of issues particularly current political scenario in J&K after the announcement of Assembly elections.
“The Committee discussed the ongoing preparations in all the Assembly Constituencies with the leaders present in the meeting, many other socio-political issues also came under discussion”.
“Senior leaders from Jammu and Kashmir provinces were present at the meeting and held discussions on the wide range of issues particularly election related matters and the challenges confronting the Party.”
The statement said that the Screening Committee also interacted with the Party workers and received feedback with respect to the ground situation in all Assembly constituencies going to polls in three phases.
“On this occasion AICC J&K Incharge Bharatsinh Solanki, AICC general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir and JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra who were present in the meeting held a detailed discussion with party leaders over various issues”.
In the meantime, NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah chaired a meeting of senior party leaders here today to discuss various issues of the party ahead of elections including the major issue of seat sharing with the Congress party. Several party leaders are not happy with the seat sharing arrangements as they feel it will harm the interests of the party in some of the constituencies.
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