Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, Mar 13: In view of hectic political activity that has gripped the All India Congress Committee (AICC) headquarters, the party high command is unlikely to spare former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad for contesting the forthcoming polls from Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary seat.
Highly placed sources in the AICC today told EXCELSIOR that despite intense political pressure from within the party to field Union Health Minister from the Udhampur seat, the Congress chief is unlikely to spare the general secretary from J&K, who is also Chairman of the Screening Committee of three States.
“Mr Azad has presently been engaged in hectic political activity in New Delhi and is a member of the Core-group of the Congress Committee, which has been taking several crucial decisions pertaining to pre-poll alliances and is also regular participant in the consultation process, aimed to select suitable candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls”, sources asserted adding, “presently, he is heading the Screening Committee for Kerala, Lakshadweep, Pondicherry and Tamil Nadu, which together accounted for nearly 41 Parliamentary seats”.
Elaborating further, sources remarked, “with Congress party expressing intentions to give a legal backing to ‘Right to Health’ services to common man across the country, the party has also sought the services of Union Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad for preparing a comprehensive guaranteed health service for all citizens at a time, when private medical has become expensive and public hospitals are overcrowded”.
Sources said, “though there were sufficient indications that the former Chief Minister, who is often considered as lucky mascot for the party is unlikely to be spared for the lone seat in the State, the final decision would be taken by the Central Election Committee (CEC) of the party”.
Interestingly, the second list released by the AICC today of 71 candidates from different States, which are being fielded by the party didn’t find any mention about the Jammu and Kashmir.
General Secretary in charge J&K Affairs, Ambika Soni when contacted said, “there was great pressure from within the party to field Mr Azad from the Udhampur-Doda Parliamentary seat. Several leaders from the State had visited the AICC office, while pleading the case of former Chief Minister”, adding, “however, a final decision will be taken only by the CEC while keeping in mind the political scenario in the country and the State in particular”.
Regarding the Congress- National Conference (NC) pre-poll alliance, the senior leader remarked, “the alliance for the Parliamentary polls was on expected lines and now the campaign shall be launched in a coordinated manner to get the desired results”.
To a pointed query about differences among the party workers, Ms Soni commented, “now that an alliance is in place, leaders of both political parties would ensure that it percolates to the ground level. The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) leaders would soon be seen working in tandem with the alliance partners”.
“Let us first cross this bridge and we shall take a call on the alliance, when we reach there”, she quipped when asked about the fate of alliance in the forthcoming Assembly polls due in October -November this year.
Reliable sources within the Congress party also pointed out that in case Congress High Command doesn’t spare Mr Azad for the Udhampur Parliamentary seat, present sitting MP Lal Singh is likely to be repeated by the party.
“Even as there are several names doing the rounds, Lal Singh, who has won the seat for the second successive time during 2009 is likely to be repeated from the Parliamentary seat”, sources asserted adding, “the party chief has already cleared the name of Madan Lal Sharma, who is sitting MP from Jammu-Poonch seat”.
Sources said, “a detailed meeting was also held at the residence of Ambika Soni yesterday to decide the fate of Ladakh seat. The meeting, besides Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad was attended by party leaders form Leh and Kargil area”, adding, “the meeting which started at 5 pm and lasted for nearly two hours focussed on achieving compromise formulae between the leaders from Ladakh”.
“Even as the name of present Chief Executive Councillor, Rigzin Spalbar and District Congress Committee head, Tsering Samphel are doing the rounds, the latter has emerged as front-runner for the seat”, sources emphasised.
Sources also ruled out the candidature if former Congress MP, P Namgyal as had already submitted in writing that he wasn’t keen to contest poll.
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