Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU Apr 21: Saying that 2014 will be a turning point in the State politics, Provincial President National Conference Devender Singh Rana on Sunday declared that it will be the people of Jammu and Kashmir and nobody else to decide who will form A, B or C team in the State’s politics.
“National Conference has been, is and will continue to remain a major player in the State which it has nurtured by offering innumerable sacrifices”, Mr Rana said while referring to the statement of Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz about Congress to emerge as A team in 2014 elections.
Mr Rana was addressing a day-long convention of the nominated Presidents and office bearers of the 71 wards of the Jammu city at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan here this morning.
The Provincial President said he held Prof Soz in high esteem and reminded him of the chequered history of National Conference which he (Soz) knew more than anybody else. “Alliance of National Conference with Congress is not for the sake of power but the relationship of mutual understanding on the high principles of secularism and democracy which dates back to the times of Pt Jawaharlal Nehru-Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah, Sher-e-Kashmir-Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi- Dr Farooq Abdullah and now Omar Abdullah and Rahul Gandhi.
“While carrying forward this legacy of mutual respect and understanding, National Conference has never dithered from its belief in the power of the people of Jammu and Kashmir who are the real fountain of power”, Mr Rana said, hoping all those striving for the public good should understand it in unequivocal measure.
The Provincial President said National Conference has always been a force to reckon with, be it in 2002 and 2008. “Despite emerging as single largest party with 28 members in the Legislative Assembly in 2002, National Conference decided to sit in Opposition just because it felt that the people had not mandated the party to power”, he said, adding that this made the C team of Peoples Democratic Party to form the Government in alliance with B team of the time-the Congress.
Mr Rana said that due to obtaining situations in 2008, National Conference entered into principled alliance with Congress and since then Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been adhering to the Coalition Dharma with sincerity of purpose.
Referring to the recent statement of Mufti Mohammed Sayeed on the fairness of elections, Mr Rana wondered saying when PDP wins, everything appears to be right and on loosing they smell foul. He described the raving and ranting of the former Chief Minister as growing realization of imminent defeat in 2014 elections. He predicted debacle of PDP, given the realization among the people about deceit of its leadership.
“Those perceiving National Conference as a weak organization in the Jammu region should understand that if Kashmir is the crown of his party, Jammu remains a shining jewel.
Mr Rana termed 2014 as the year of NC triumph and castigating those trying to vitiate the political atmosphere of the state by indulging in rhetoric and attempting to create wedge between various communities and regions. He referred to the regional card being played by PDP and the communal one by BJP.
Asserting that National Conference believes in unity of the State, he said his party stands guarantee to the single entity of Jammu and Kashmir. He also referred to the various achievements of Omar led Government and dwelt in length about the revolutionary measures like holding of Panchayat elections after 34 years which witnessed massive public participation.
Those who were present on the occasion included Sr. Vice President Rattan Lal Gupta, Former Minister Babu Ram Paul, Provincial President Women Wing Vijay Lakshmi Dutta, Provincial Secretary Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, Senior leaders Chander Mohan Sharma, Dharamveer Singh Jamwal, Rakesh Bakshi, Satpal Lakhotra, Surinder Singh Bunty, Mohammad Ayub Malik, Choudhary Arshad, Vijay Lochan, Pardeep Bali, Abdul Gani Teli, Ch Haroon and others.
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