Debate on Next Cheif minister of J&K state As political battle between mainstream political parties begins for the 2014 assembly elections, the infighting within the Congress has again come to fore, this time over Chief Ministerial candidate for the J&K state. There are reportedly two factions within the Congress in the J&K state, one led by JKPCC Chief Saif-ud-Din Soz and another by Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.Over the past week or so the close confidantes of Azad have raised a fresh pitch by terming former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as the Chief Ministerial candidate of the Congress party. The Congress is certain to have an alliance with NC or the PDP and the party believes that it has a rightful claim on the post of Chief Minister of countries most sensitive state.But for the Congress as elections are coming closer, the cracks too are widening within it. Senior Congress leader and R&B Minister Abdul Majeed Wani, a close confidante of Azad had said that if Congress High Command fields Ghulam Nabi Azad as the Chief Minister candidate for Jammu and Kashmir, than party would win over 33-assembly seats. However, he believed that if Soz is nominated the party may hardly win 22-seats. Another Congress leader and MLA Inderval, G M Saroori, who represents Azad faction, also supports Ghulam Nabi Azad saying he would be next Chief Minister of J&K. He had earlier also expressed his resentment against Soz for his non-induction into the state Cabinet.Saroori while praising Azad said that he (Azad) is the Congress leader who gave an entirely new direction to the development and clean politics in J&K. Abdul Gani Vakil, who has close proximity with the union Health Minister, has also demanded that Azad should be announced as Chief Ministerial candidate of the Congress party. He had said at several gatherings that Azad is the only politician in the state, who has a greater vision for the J&K state and can bring at par with other states of the country. MLA Bhaderwah, Mohammad Sharif Niyaz had also reportedly supported Azad as the Chief Ministerial candidate. Even as Azad recently hinted that he does not intend to be the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir again and will instead “serve the state from New Delhi”, but sources said many emerging voices are coming up in the Congress party, who support Azad as the Chief Ministerial candidate instead of Soz. “Majority of Congress leaders of the state are in support of Azad. Many Azad loyalists believe that they have been sidelined by the state Congress president,” a Congress minister revealed, wishing anonymity.He said the groupism still prevails in the state Congress leadership and both groups are trying to persuade the Congress High Command that Chief Ministerial candidate should be announced from their lobby. Recently, the lobbyism within the Congress also came to fore when Congress Vice-President Rahul Gandhi addressing a party convention at the party headquarters here.Several Azad loyalists had claimed that they were not allowed to speak during the convention. They had reportedly said that among 32-speakers, only two Azad loyalists were allowed to speak during the convention.
Posted on: Mon, 25 Nov 2013 09:53:32 +0000
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