Mir Farhat
SRINAGAR, Jan 12: Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) President Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz today hinted at no pre-poll alliance with any political party during forthcoming elections in the State.
“We want a friendly match with all political parties in the coming elections without any rigging. Our workers are opposed to forging any pre-poll alliance in the State. I will communicate the feelings of workers to the party high command in Delhi. I am in touch with the block, halqa presidents of all the districts of the party and will discuss their feelings in New Delhi,” Soz said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at a local hotel where many political activists joined the party.
Asked would the high command oppose the workers’ wishes, Soz said he would accept their (workers) wishes and convey them to the party high command. “I will say truth to the party high command. However, my wish is not final. Ambika Soni is the party in-charge and Ghulam Nabi Azad also has a vote in this. We will meet Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and we will take people’s voice to the screening committee and core group of the party,” he added.
Soz said that just like every politician, he too has the ambition of becoming Chief Minister of the State. “Every politician has the ambition to become CM. I too wish and am ready to do anything whatever the party will entrust me to. I have the ability and desire for that,” Soz said.
The PCC chief dismissed that Bhartiya Janata Party’s Prime Ministerial candidate Narender Modi or Aam Aadmi Party will affect the upcoming elections.
On summoning former Army chief, General (Retired) VK Singh to the State Assembly, Soz said it won’t serve any purpose. “My personal view is that the former Army General should be given some respect as he has been an Army chief. Whatever he had said, he denied that and what use it is now to summon him. Privilege Committee is there, and courts are there to see the authenticity of his allegations,” he said, adding, the General has always been controversial and still is, I had said that summoning him would serve a vicarious pleasure, but not praised him.”
Replying to a question over the differences between the coalition partners National Conference and Congress over the decision of setting up of new administrative units, Soz said: “Congress wants that the opinion of the people be taken first, and then Cabinet will decide the same.”
Soz slammed the National Conference legislators for their “dismal” developmental performance in Srinagar. “I personally saw the worst situation in Srinagar, especially in downtown. There is no sanitation, no electricity, no employment for the youth, artisans are disappointed, the system has failed them” he added.
The former Union Minister said the doors are open for everybody to join the party fold due to its “good” policies.
Many political activists joined the party today at the function, prominent among them being PDP’s former Minister late Abdul Aziz Zargar’ son Manzoor Ahmad Zargar of Noorabad.
“We don’t take the revenge and can’t close the doors for the people to join the party,” he replied when asked whether the party has taken revenge from People’s Democratic Party after former Congress leader Abdul Majeed Padroo form Noorbagh constituency in Kulgam district joined PDP.
Others who joined the Congress included Mohammad Yaqoob Vakil of downtown Srinagar, Bashir Malik, Hafiz Sayeed, Sultan Shaheen of Ganderbal, Qazi Hakim-ud-Din of Baramulla, Abdul Gani Naseem of Khan Sahab, Budgam, Gul Rehman Chopan and his daughter Aneesa Gul, Manzoor Ahmad and Riyaz Ahmad Malik.
Vakeel was once close confident of moderate Hurriyat Conference chairman, Mirwaiz Omar Farooq but was expelled from his Awami Action Committee (AAC) several years ago.
Minister for Tourism Ghulam Ahmad Mir and senior Congress vice president Muzaffar Ahmad Parray were also present on the occasion.
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