Charge each other of credit, making plans at home
*Cong asks NC-backed Ind MLA to fulfill poll promises
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, July 24: Ruling National Conference and its ally and Congress MLAs and District Development Council (DDC) Members had heated exchanges at the DDC meeting in Rajouri convened to discuss and finalize District Capex Budget for the financial year 2025-26 today. Both the parties contested Assembly elections together and are still supporting each other though the Congress is not a partner in Omar Abdullah Government.
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Only a day before, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the Congress didn’t inform them about its protest seeking restoration of Statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, held in New Delhi.
Congress DDC member from Manjakote, Shabir Ahmed Khan, who happens to be former Minister of State for Power and Vice Chairman of the Council, had heated arguments with Independent MLA from Thannamandi Muzaffar Khan, who had revolted against NC decision to leave Thannamandi seat for Congress and won as an Independent and now is an ally of the NC, over works approved under Prime Minister’s Grameen Sadak Yojana (PMGSY). Shabir Khan, had lost Thannamandi seat to Muzaffar Khan in September-October, 2024 Assembly elections.
On the other, NC DDC Member from Doongi Khalid Hussain targeted Congress MLA from Rajouri Iftikhar Ahmed for what he called pressurizing the officers ahead of the DDC meeting not to recommend works recommended by the DDC members and give priority to the projects given by him in the district plan meeting.
The arguments turned into heated exchanges, albeit from their seats with NC MLA from Budhal Javed Choudhary also joining the issue in presence of senior officers of the district who had to attend the DDC meeting.
District Rajouri has five Assembly seats-two of which are with NC including Nowshera and Budhal, one with the Congress (Rajouri) and one with the BJP (Sunderbani-Kalakote). Thannamandi is represented by Independent Muzaffar Ahmed Khan, an NC ally now. The DDC Rajouri is also ruled by the NC with senior party leader Naseem Liaqat as the Chairman.
Thannamandi MLA Muzaffar Khan and Rajouri MLA Iftikhar Ahmed didn’t respond to repeated phone calls for their version. However, DDC Chairman Naseem Liaqat told the Excelsior that both sides tried to claim credit of PMGSY roads, leading to the arguments in the meeting. He said the credit for PMGSY roads goes to MP of the area.
“Some of the PMGSY works are new recommended by the MLAs but some roads are also those which had been recommended by the DDC members and whose approval was pending. These roads have also been approved now under the PMGSY,” Liaqat said but added that the issues were resolved and the District Capex Budget was passed unanimously in the end.
NC MLA from Budhal Javed Choudhary said the DDC Member and the MLA had issues pertaining to PMGSY roads. Later, everything went well.
Shabir Khan, a former Minister said he challenged Muzaffar Khan not to divert attention towards roads and fulfill his election commitment of providing 300 free units of electricity and 12 LPG cylinders to every family.
“NC had promised 200 electricity units per month and 12 LPG cylinders every year free to every family while Muzaffar Khan, who contested the election as an Independent candidate from Thannamandi, had announced 300 power units and 13 LPG cylinders. He should fulfill his election promise and that is what I asked in the meeting,” Shabir said.
NC’s DDC Member from Doongi Khalid Hussain alleged in the meeting that Iftikhar Ahmed made plan sitting at home by pressurizing the BDOs to which he objected saying they are also elected representatives and should have say in the works. Further, he said, the credit for PMGSY roads goes to concerned Member Parliament and not the MLA as the PMGSY is the Central project.
Khalid told the Excelsior that he made all these charges in the meeting.
Sources said this led to heated exchanges between Khalid and Iftikhar.
It may be mentioned here that NC leader Mian Altaf represents Anantnag-Poonch-Rajouri seat in Lok Sabha.
NC and Congress contested Assembly elections together with NC fighting on Nowshera, Budhal and Sunderbani-Kalakote seats and Congress on Rajouri and Thannamandi. NC won Nowshera and Budhal while Congress got Rajouri. BJP bagged Sunderbani-Kalakote and Independent Muzaffar Khan, an NC leader, emerged victorious at Thannamandi. Muzaffar defeated Shabir Khan, who was in the fray as an Independent then, from Thannamandi seat. Shabir is a Congress leader and served as Minister of State for Power earlier.
An official handout said:- Chairperson of the District Development Council (DDC) Rajouri, Naseem Liaqat, today chaired a crucial meeting at Dak Bungalow Rajouri to discuss and finalize the District Capex Budget for the financial year 2025-26.
The Capex plan proposals were thoroughly deliberated upon. All plans were approved except for proposals related to R&B, PHE, Education, Health, SSY, and BDCs of a few blocks, which will undergo further review and consultation.
Chairperson Naseem Liaqat underscored the importance of inclusive planning and emphasized that the consultation of MLAs and DDC members must be ensured during the formulation of developmental plans to reflect the genuine needs of the people at the grassroots level.
The participating MLAs and DDC members echoed the same sentiment, highlighting that development must remain a top priority to ensure that the public does not face inconvenience or delay in accessing basic amenities.
MLAs present included MLA Rajouri Iftikhar Ahmed, MLA Budhal Javed Iqbal Choudhary, MLA Kalakote Thakur Randeer Singh, and MLA Thannamandi Muzzafar Iqbal Khan.
The meeting was attended by Vice Chairperson DDC Shabir Khan; DDC Thannamandi Abdul Qayoom Mir; DDC Member Rajouri Sai Abdul Rashid; DDC Member Doongi Khalid Choudhary; DDC Member Dhangri Rameshwar Singh; DDC Member Sunderbani Rajinder Sharma; DDC Member Nowshera Manohar Singh; DDC Member Moughla Shamim Akhter; DDC Member Budhal New Nasreen Akhter; DDC Member Seri Sangeeta Sharma; and DDC Member Kalakote Anita Thakur.
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