Jammu, Dec 24: The infighting within Congress is worsening day by day with the leaders skipping party rallies of rival groups becoming a routine.
The latest fallout in the events was witnessed today at R S Pura where the organizers of party meeting lashed out at Pradesh Congress Committee chief Prof. Saif-u-Din Soz for last moment refusal of invitation allegedly at the behest of Medical Education Minister R S Chib.
Sources said the PCC chief canceled his R S Pura tour on the plea of bad health, while on the same day attended a party workers’ meeting at Domana.
Miffed over the decision of Prof. Soz not to attend the rally organised by him, the local Congress leader Karan Bhagat alleged that Soz disappointed the party workers on the directions of R S Chib.
Well informed sources said that R S Chib - a contender for the border constituency seat - threatened to leave the party if Soz went to attend the rally of Karan Bahgat whom he considers a strong rival within the party.
“Prof Soz was scheduled to address a public meeting organised by Congress workers at RS Pura on Saturday. However he postponed his programme at the last moment after Chib raised serious objections, who is making all out efforts to get party mandate from the constituency for next assembly elections,” sources close to PCC chief told Greater Kashmir.
Though Soz informed the organizers about the cancellation of his visit this morning, the party leaders in RS Pura said that this has disappointed the workers in the border belt, from where party lost all its seats in last Assembly elections.
“We were told that Soz Sahib can not attend the meeting due to his ailing health”, local Congress leader Karan Bhagat told Greater Kashmir, adding, “However, we know that it was done only at the behest of Chib.”
Repeated attempts to contact Prof. Saif-ud-din Soz and RS Chib failed.
This is the latest in the series of events in the recent days where the infighting in the party has come in public.
Recently, entire local party cadre had boycotted the rallies of minister for PHE, Irrigation and Flood Control Taj Mohi-ud-Din during his tour to the three districts of Chenab Valley.
Senior party leader and local MLA Muhammad Sharief Niaz and the entire block committed had boycotted the minister’s rally in Bhaderwah town, while in Kishtwar    district committee stayed away from the rally alleging that the minister had not informed it about his tour.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Dec 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 24 Dec 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Sun, 25 Dec 2011 00:00:00 IST