news details |
|
|
| Kohli's switching over not to affect results, says Congress | | Amid poll bustle Cong leader in Rajouri joins PDP | | Kunal Shrivatsa
Jammu, Apr 7: With just three days left for the polling in Jammu-Poonch Parliamentary constituency, the Congress preparations for the ensuing battle today suffered a major jolt when one of its prominent leaders Abdul Gani Kohli from Rajouri belt quit the party and joined People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
Abdul Gani Kohli, who contested Assembly polls-2008 as a Congress candidate from Kalakote constituency, along with his son Waseem Kohli jumped on to the PDP bandwagon in the presence of party Patron Mufti Mohammad Sayeed during his visit to Rajouri and Surankote to campaign for party candidate Yashpal Sharma.
Speculations were rife for the last couple of days that Kohli, a retired engineer, would quit Congress anytime since he was annoyed with the party leadership for allegedly giving preferential treatment to his bete noire Ashok Sharma, an old war horse of Congress from Kalakote Assembly segment.
Congress insiders told Early Times that Kohli's decision to part ways with Congress was almost certain as few days back while speaking to some media persons he had made his plans obvious that he was contemplating to quit party.
Sources said that he was not happy with the way projection being given to the former Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kalakote Ashok Sharma, who also remained a Member of Legislative Council (MLC).
However, the party insiders said that Kohli's switching over to PDP could not be termed as a setback since his influence is only confined to certain pockets of the area and the decision is inconsequential to the final poll outcome.
They further said that Kohli's grievance that Sharma is getting more leverage than him is a mere excuse adding that in politics everyone is counted and a leader like Ashok Sharma, who has huge following in the area, cannot be ignored.
"Abdul Gani Kohli contested the last Assembly elections from Kalakote as Congress nominee and forfeited his deposit as he was able to get only 1000-odd votes… Kohli finished at poor sixth position where as Ashok Sharma, who was in the fray as an independent polled nearly 14,000 votes and stood second," said sources.
"Even candidates from Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP), who have little support base in the area, were way ahead of Kohli….. BSP candidate Raj Kumar stood 4th by securing 3851 votes while BJP candidate Bharat Bhushan Vaid remained 5th by getting as many as 1423 votes," they added.
It may be recalled that National Conference candidate Rashpal Singh won the seat by securing 25,314 votes while his nearest rival was Ashok Sharma, who fought the election as a Congress rebel was able to get 13,894 votes. PDP's candidate polled 7,742 votes and stood third in the contest.
When contacted, the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) spokesperson and MLC Ravinder Sharma said that Abdul Gani Kohli's decision to leave Congress would not hurt party in any way.
"His (Kohli) joining PDP will not have any impact on Congress' poll prospects rather it will further consolidate party cadre in Kalakote," said Ravinder Sharma. |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
