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| Omar clipped Sagar's wings before appointing him as NC General Secretary | | Former CM's close aides call shots, seniors act as mute spectators | | Fazal Khan
ET Report
srinagar, Feb 19: Former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and working President of the National Conference Omar Abdullah ostensibly created different power centers within the party ahead of appointing the senior NC leader, Ali Mohammad Sagar, as the General Secretary of the party in 2014.
Sources told Early Times Omar was under tremendous pressure from his father and NC patron Dr Farooq Abdullah to appoint Sagar as the NC General Secretary as the ailing Sheikh Nazir, Omar's uncle and cousin of Dr Farooq, was unable to handle the all important party post due to his falling health. "Omar before implementing his father's proposal ensured that his two close aides Nasir Aslam Wani and Devender Singh Rana are given important positions in the party. He accomplished his mission by elevating Wani and Rana as provincial presidents of the NC from Srinagar and Jammu respectively," they said.
Omar, according to the sources, delayed Sagar's appointment by nearly a year and provided both Wani and Rana a chance to make inroads in the party. "Omar giving his close aides all important positions in the NC annoyed many senior leaders, including Sagar, but no one uttered a word as they wanted to remain in the good books of the former chief minister," said a source.
He said that Omar elevated his close aides to the top party positions to "marginalize" the senior leaders and give them limited roles. "Omar knew it very well that he has to appoint Sagar as the General Secretary of the party but before succumbing under his father's pressure he ensured that Sagar's wings are clipped and he gets his way," the source added.
He said that Omar during his six year tenure never sought any advice from the senior party leaders nor did he take them in loop while taking any major administrative decision. "Omar always used to consult his own men, including Wani and Rana, before making any move," said a source.
He said Omar maintained distance from seniors, including Sagar, to ensure that they don't interfere in his style of functioning and to prevent them from advising him. "When Omar shuffled his cabinet he had dropped Sagar from it but Dr Farooq's intervention saved him (Sagar) and his name once again figured in the Council of Ministers," the source added.
Despite Sagar being appointed as the General Secretary of the party, he played a limited role to finalize the mandates for the candidates who contested 2014 Assembly elections. "Mandates were finalized by Omar, Rana and Wani, and Sagar followed what he was asked to do," the source claimed.
He said since the day Sagar has been appointed as the NC General Secretary he has tried his best to get close to Omar but former chief minister has maintained a distance and has marginalized the role of seniors, including Sagar. "When the veteran NC leader and former Member Parliament Abdul Rasheed Shaheen left the party Omar asked Nasir Aslam Wani to issue a show cause notice to him and announce his expulsion from the party. By asking Wani to do so Omar sent a clear message to seniors, including Sagar that their roles are confined and their wings have been clipped," said a source.
He said the NC working president not giving much importance to seniors and relying on young brigade is making the senior leaders believe that they are no more wanted in National Conference. |
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