Jammu, May 31: The Congress high command is expected to take a decision on appointment of new chief of Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) in Jammu and Kashmir shortly.

 Sources said that hectic lobbying was going in New Delhi as the final decision on the appointment or replacement of PCC chief is expected by mid June. They said that the top Congress brass has held series of meetings to take a decision on the matter and final recommendations would be forwarded to the AICC Chief Sonnia Gandhi by next week.

 Talking to the Greater Kashmir over phone from New Delhi, party’s Jammu and Kashmir in-charge Mohan Prakash said, “We will shortly announce the names of PCC chiefs in some states of the country. The final decision will be taken by the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Sonia Gandhi.”

 “The names of new PCC chiefs in Mumbai regional Congress, Rajasthan and J&K are to be announced shortly,” he remarked without specifying any deadline.

 However, sources closed to him said that the process was at the final stage. “The top party leadership was busy in the assembly elections in some of the states, which delayed the matter”, sources said adding, “The party also did not wanted to make any immediate changes in Jammu and Kashmir due to the ongoing Panchayat elections”.

 The fate of Saif-ud-Din Soz as PCC Chief was, however, said to be uncertain. He has some strong supporters at the AICC headquarters, who want him to continue but the opponents have also intensified their campaign, sources claimed.

 If insiders are to be believed, the party high command may extend the tenure of the incumbent PCC chief for second term, keeping in view the “political complexities and compulsions” in Jammu and Kashmir and his last six months “performance”.  

 “The chances of Soz’s replacement are bleak and in case the party high command replace Soz and appoints new PCC chief in JK, Soz may get respectable position in view of his last six months’ performance,” sources added. 

 The current PCC presidents of Orissa, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir and Mumbai Regional Congress, K.P. Singh Deo, Phool Chand Mulana, Saifuddin Soz and Kripashankar Singh, respectively could be replaced or their term could be extended.

Lastupdate on : Tue, 31 May 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Tue, 31 May 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Wed, 1 Jun 2011 00:00:00 IST