Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 17: Admitting that effecting reshuffle in the party and Government in one go was a daunting task, Chief Minister and working president of the National Conference, Omar Abdullah today said that it was part of the preparations for the 2014 Assembly polls and aimed at giving representation to the people in a comprehensive manner.
Addressing mammoth gathering of National Conference workers and leaders at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhawan this morning on the occasion of installing Devender Singh Rana as new Provincial President of the party, Mr Omar said, “it was a most difficult task to carry out changes in the Government as well as the party but I, in consultation with the party president Dr Farooq Abdullah, carried out reshuffle by striking a good balance between the requirement of party and the Government”, adding “I am fortunate that I have lot of talented, capable and intelligent people available in the party and this has helped me to strike a balance in running the party affairs and those of Government.
The working president of the National Conference further said, “the changes were not meant to downgrade or punish anybody. The prime objective behind effecting reshuffle was to ensure that party affairs as well as administrative matters of the Government are attended to with equal focus and attention”, adding “National Conference needs services of talented, capable and intelligent people keeping in view the fact that only two years have been left for us to sell the remarkable achievements registered by the Government during the past four years”.
“We have been repeatedly saying that political parties are instrumental in forming Governments and not Government frames party as such nobody should have remorse in handling the affairs of the party”, Omar said, adding “it should be immaterial for party stalwarts to remain in the Government or serve the party. It has been the history of the National Conference that its workers always cherished to strengthen the party and render sincere public service. Power has never remained their goal but achieving welfare of the general people has been their bench mark”.
The National Conference working president said, “after hectic deliberations we have come to the conclusion that though elections are about two years away but the preparation and public rapport from right now is all the more essential to apprise the people of the achievements of the Coalition Government and attend to their grievances and problems in a more focused manner”, adding “the senior leaders, who have recently been given party responsibility have a greater role to play in highlighting the achievements of the Government and boosting the morale of the National Conference workers”.
He directed the newly inducted as well as other Ministers of the party to spare time from their ministerial responsibilities and make field visits necessary aspect in their working schedule to reach out to the people to take stock of their grievances and highlight the achievements of the Government. “Before embarking on visit to any area, the Ministers should give information to the provincial leaders so that party workers of the visiting areas could get an opportunity to interact with the Ministers and project people’s problems”, he stressed. “The Ministers should also look after the sentiments of the party workers otherwise we will have to pay heavy price”, he added.
“There were some areas which could not get representation in the Government during the past four years and in the recent reshuffle we have take care of such areas. There may be areas which needed representation but could not get it. I am well versed with this and appropriate action will be taken in this regard”, he further said.
Showering praises on new provincial president of party, Omar said, “Devender Singh Rana has rendered self-less service to the party. He has proved his caliber and mettle of delivering in a meticulous way. Moreover, he has established his position in the hearts of people and appointment as provincial president of National Conference will infuse new energy in the party rank and file”.
Expressing faith in the ability of Rana, working president of the National Conference wished him all success and hoped that he would exhibit his excellence and come up to the aspirations of the party.
Later, Chief Minister took Rana to the seat of provincial president. The slogans reverberated the atmosphere at the movement.
The function was attended by the top state leadership of the National Conference, which include Additional General Secretary of National Conference Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal, Senior Vice President Surjit Singh Slathia, Vice President Rattan Lal Gupta, Ministers Abdul Rahim Rather, Ali Mohammad Sagar, Mian Altaf Ahmad, Sakina Itoo, Mohammad Akbar Lone, Choudhary Ramzan, Ajay Sadhotra, Mir Saifullah, Sajjad Ahmad Kitchloo, Feroz Ahmad Khan, Nazir Ahamd Khan (Gurezi), Deputy Chairman J&K Legislative Council, M Y Taing , Member of Parliament, Mohammad Shafi Uri, Legislators, Radhey Sham Sharma, Ajaz Jan, Javed Ahmad Dar, Bimla Luthra, Khalid Najeeb Suhrawardy, Javed Rana, G Q Pardesi, Dr B A Veeri, Master Noor Hussain, Dr Shenaz Ganai, Former Members of Parliament, Mirza Abdul Rashid and Ch Talib Hussain.
Earlier, Devender Singh Rana was carried in a massive rally to Sher-i-Kashmir Bhawan by the enthusiastic party workers shouting slogans in his, in favour of Omar Abdullah, Dr Farooq Abdullah and National Conference.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel