Congress party in Jammu is facing ‘undeclared rebellion’ as several leaders want a senior Jammu based leader to head Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) ahead of Assembly polls in the state.
After losing both the Parliamentary seats to BJP in Jammudivision, Congress leaders are “annoyed” with the party’s leadership and aredemanding a separate meeting with senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MemberGhulam Nabi Azad in Jammu to discuss their concerns. “If elections are held byNovember or December 2019, and situation remains same our chances of winningAssembly seats in non-Muslim belt look grim,” a senior Congress leader toldGreater Kashmir.
“We are not worried about Assembly seats in Muslimconstituencies as we can win at least four to five seats in these belts. Incase of pre-poll alliance with National Conference we will not gain innon-Muslim areas like Jammu, Samba, and Kathua,” the leader said.
Another Congress leader said that “we are facing BJP inJammu’s saffron belt where the rightwing party is very strong with its viewsagainst Article 35-A and Article 370 and people support them.”
A BJP leader said, “Recently, BJP government granted 3percent reservation to the residentsliving close to international border. Erstwhile Congress government did not payany heed to the demands of the local leaders. The BJP government is fulfillinglong pending demands of the people and has won their trust.”
Similarly, he said, “the previous Congress regime hadannounced that it would give Rs 25 lakhs to Rs 30 lakhs as compensation to thedisplaced persons but “it failed to fulfill its promise. However, the BJPgovernment provided Rs 5.5 lakhs to each displaced person’s family.”
Another Congress leader said, “Our governments failed tofulfill the demands of people which were raised by us. BJP fulfilled thesedemands and took credit for it.”
“How can you except from us to win Assembly seats fromJammu, Samba and Kathua districts? In Parliamentary elections, the manifesto ofCongress party assured withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) toappease Kashmir,” the Congress leader added.
“Our leadership always frames policies vis-a-vis Kashmir andignores Jammu. Our leaders forget that Congress has always won maximum Assemblyseats from Jammu and not from Kashmir,” he added. A former minister said, “No senior Congressleader from Jammu has been given a chance to become JKPCC president. Manyleaders like late Pandit Mangat Ram Sharma were not given a chance to serve thepeople in the state.”
“When BJP is playing Jammu card like J&K will have aChief Minister from Jammu, how can you expect us to win,” he said, “Under thesecircumstances it becomes difficult for Congress to justify why JKPCC presidentis from Kashmir and not from Jammu,” he added. “Please tell me the names of theleaders who spoke to you. It is hypothetical,” replied JKPCC chief, GhulamAhmed Mir when asked about concerns of several Congress leaders in Jammu.Later, his mobile network was out of reach. He could not be contacted again.