Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Dec 14: Setting at rest speculations over formalisation of pre-poll alliance between Congress and National Conference leadership, Union Minister for Health and Family Weflare and former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad today categorically stated that formal meetings to discuss the proposed electoral alliance were yet to begin.
Talking to EXCELSIOR from New Delhi, Mr Azad stated that the Congress leadership was yet to initiate the consultation process, which would address issues pertaining to pre-poll alliance in Jammu and Kashmir State, which is slated to go to polls next year.
“The strategy has to be deliberated keeping in mind the fact that the State will be witnessing Parliamentary polls in May first, with the rest of country and subsequently Assembly elections at the end of next year”, he said adding, “issue in both the polls are different and there can’t be common yardstick for the duo”.
Elaborating on the present status of affairs, the former Chief Minister said, “at present, there were divergent views among the Congress party about the formation of an alliance. Consultations will be held with our Ministers, Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Legislators before coming to any conclusion”.
“Some leaders have been airing their views over the issue of alliance formation. But, I must tell you that these views only reflect their personal view point”, he said adding, “as far as Congress party is concerned, the consultation process for forging an electoral alliance is yet to start”.
Hinting to the possibility of Congress party repeating its candidates from Jammu and Udhampur Lok Sabha seats, he said, “Jammu-Poonch constituency comprises of four districts and Udhampur-Doda constituency has six districts. It is very difficult to meet the aspirations of people living in such vast areas and fresh candidates would not even understand the topography of these areas”.
Congress sources also said, “even yesterday’s meeting between Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and AICC (I) president Sonia Gandhi at her 10 Janpath residence in New Delhi had only discussed the political situation in the State. There has been no commitment from any quarter for forging of a formal alliance between the two coalition partners”.
Speculations were rife in political circles of the State that the meeting between the UPA Chairperson and the Chief Minister had set the stage for forming of a pre-poll alliance. However, Congress sources pointed out that the alliance would be largely dependent on the experience of past six years of the Coalition Government and also on the basis of the feedback of State Congress leadership.
“Several leaders of Congress were also irked over the fact that National Conference had unilaterally chosen to announce its candidates for three seats from Kashmir Valley without taking them into confidence. The announcement was made without any consultation with Congress, which are equal stakeholders in the Coalition Government at present”, sources added.
On December 5, Union Minister Farooq Abdullah during a function organised to observe the 108th birth anniversary of the party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at Hazratbal had announced that the sitting MPs of National Conference will seek re-election from the three Lok Sabha seats from Kashmir during the Parliamentary polls scheduled next year. While Abdullah had won the 2009 parliamentary polls from Srinagar-Budgam Lok Sabha seat, Sharif-ud-Din Shariq and Mehbooba Beig had emerged victorious from north and south Kashmir seats, respectively.
Echoing view of his party colleague, JKPCC (I) chief, Saif-ud-Din Soz, when contacted said, “the party will decide about the pre-poll alliance after holding wider consultations with its leaders”.
Prof Soz also refused to comment on the outcome of yesterday’s meeting between the Chief Minister and UPA Chairperson in New Delhi.
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