A day after dates for local bodies’ polls were announced, the Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress party said on Sunday that its leaders will meet again to decide whether they would participate in the elections or not.
“We are meeting on Monday and will let the people know on Tuesday,” state congress president G A Mir told Greater Kashmir. “The meeting can be delayed by a day as some senior leaders are out of station.”
Last Thursday, after meeting of its senior leaders, Mir said the prevailing situation in Kashmir was confusing and not conducive for holding elections, and had criticised the government asking if the upcoming poll exercise was a gimmick.
“Even a blind person will tell you that the situation is not fit for elections in Jammu and Kashmir right now,” Mir had said, insisting there was a lot of confusion and neither the state government nor the government of India were clear about the polls.
The party has also been consulting its central leadership and has deputed its state unit vice president, GhulamNabiMonga to brief them over the issue.
“I met senior party leaders including in-charge general secretary and briefed him about the situation,” Monga told Greater Kashmir.
“They told (us) to decide the things and let them know.”
Sources in Congress said that the party was in a dilemma as nobody from southern Kashmir was ready to contest under the prevailing circumstances and inadequate security most members complain of.
However, they say, some people from northern Kashmir have expressed their desire to stand in the upcoming elections.
The party leadership is also concerned about possible consequences of boycotting the polls.
“At the same time Congress feels that by boycotting local body elections there will be free hand to RSS-BJP forces in Jammu Kashmir,” said a party source.