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| NC stumps Azad, Soz; J&K Cong peeved | | Paid Govt advertisement creates ripples | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
JAMMU, Jan 6: A paid government advertisement issued by state government has created ripples across the political circles in Jammu and Kashmir as well as in New Delhi.
Though all are tightlipped but reliable sources told Early Times that leaders representing two political rivals in Congress, ex-Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and JKPCC President Prof. Saif-ud-din have come together to privately express anguish over being completely sidelined by the coalition partner, National Conference (NC). They have lodged formal complaint with AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, asking him to intervene and stop Congress from becoming a rubber stamp in the coalition.
Sources said that leaders of both factions rung up each other in the wee hours of morning expressing anguish over the government advertisement making no mention of Soz and Azad, both of whom, according to them have cemented foundations of coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir. They added that government by ignoring Azad and Soz has sent out a clear signal of keeping Congress in the background while riding the horse till eternity with the often heard blessing of New Delhi.
Congress sources said that advertisement carrying photographs of Prime Minister Dr.Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi alongwith Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand, when read politically makes Azad and Soz politically insignificant. If the state government justifies this by saying that Azad and Soz do not mean much in the political spectrum of Jammu and Kashmir, a senior Congress leader said that it would be catastrophic. He added that even Prime Minister and UPA chairperson realize worth of these two towering Congress leaders from Jammu and Kashmir.
They are trying to take undue benefit of the purported political rivalry between Azad and Soz, said a congress leader while adding that a state which has been denying youngsters a healthy salary issues full page advertisements to local as well as national dailies, worth lakhs of rupees just to score a political brownie before New Delhi. He said that Azad and Soz may have some political issues but when it comes to Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir, they would stand together.
Barring three Ministers of Congress, one of whom considers himself the possible Chief Ministerial candidate while the other two are facing corruption cases, all the other leaders, MLAs and MLCs unanimously said that the two stalwarts of Jammu and Kashmir Congress should not have been ignored. "If Union New and Renewable Energy Minister Dr. Farooq Abdullah is there, Azad and Soz should not have been kept out. We thank the NC-led government for including PM and UPA chairperson but that does not mean, they should virtually humiliate these two before the public of Jammu and Kashmir," said a top Congress leader from Jammu region.
He added "The two belong to the state and are face of Congress in Jammu and Kashmir. Both are MPs from this state and have constituencies here. How can they be ignored at successful completion of four years of NC-Congress coalition government?" However, another side of this is few Congress Ministers calling it non-issue and expressing ignorance over advertisement issued by state government.
A Congress leader, who is widely believed to be close aide of Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad expressed ignorance over the advertisement despite the same being a full page material. He said "I have not seen the advertisement. I will reach Jammu tomorrow and then, see what could be done to correct the things."
This close aide of Azad when pressed said "If our three leaders are there, Azad and Soz question is of no consequence." It needs to be mentioned here that Azad had fought tooth and nail for this leader when the portfolios were being allocated in New Delhi. Similarly, another Congress minister who is likely to be divested of the portfolio as and when the reshuffle takes place said "Kya farak padhta hai. Sonia jee our PM sahab kaafi hain. Baaki Farooq sahab unkey barabar kye neeta hain, issiliye sarkar ney unko saath lagaya hai. No issue. I am contended."
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