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Pradesh Youth Congress polls set to deepen rift in party

Early Times Report

JAMMU, Oct 23: Infighting within the Jammu and Kashmir Congress is likely to intensify with the announcement of the schedule for the election of the Pradesh Youth Congress, a contest that is fast turning into a proxy battle among rival camps in the party.
Highly placed sources told the Early Times that about half a dozen senior leaders are lobbying to project their family members or relatives for key posts in the Pradesh Youth Congress. The development is expected to revive the long-simmering debate over dynastic politics and the space available to ordinary party workers in the organisation.
According to the sources, two senior Congress leaders are pushing their sons for the post of president, while another senior leader is reportedly trying to secure the position for his nephew. The sources said the competing claims have already triggered unease among aspirants who have no political lineage to fall back on.
Sources further said that dissident leaders are not staying out of the fray. They are reportedly working out a strategy to install a loyalist as president of the Pradesh Youth Congress, a move that could sharpen the existing divisions and turn the Youth Congress election into a test of strength between the dissidents and the party’s mainstream leadership.
Meanwhile, in an official handout issued by the party, all candidates have been informed that the Youth Congress Election Authority (YCEA) is reopening the nomination process for the Jammu and Kashmir Youth Congress Elections 2026.
According to the schedule, enrolment will open on October 23, 2026, and nomination will close on October 25. The last date for submission of nomination payment is October 26, 2026.
The handout advises all candidates to complete their nominations within the stipulated time and to submit complaints, if any, before the deadline. It adds that complaints received after the deadline will not be considered.
The communication was issued by Mukul Gupta, PRO, Jammu and Kashmir state.
With the window for nominations open for only about two days, the coming days are likely to see intense lobbying and backroom negotiations within the party. The outcome could also indicate how the Congress leadership balances the ambitions of its senior leaders’ families against its stated commitment to nurturing young grassroots workers.