Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 14: The 'battle-royale' for MLC berths in the Delhi Durbar of Congress has hottened up like never before. Immediately on the heels of an exclusive story projected in previous day's Early Times, a sitting MP has managed resolutions and letters of as many as dozen-odd Rajput contenders against a sitting I.G.P, probable candidate, whose name is being played and projected by Ghulam Nabi Azad with what is being seen as his smart trickery in the power corridors at 24, Akbar Road, New Delhi.
Sources said in addition to some resolutions, a letter addressed to AICC President by All India Manhas Biradri Sabha, has created biggest sensation which surprisingly says that Azad's favourite choice for MLC from reserved seat of Doda is a 'Lohaar' by caste and not at all a 'Thakur'. And there is great antipathy against 'Lohaar Rajputs' and other Rajputs in Doda district. However, more than war of nerves on caste considerations, it is the resentment and the antipathy against selection of bureaucrats as MLCs, with party rank and file of J&K having risen in revolt to this move. Sources said the issue has hottened up to such extent that it kept fax machines sputtering and beeping at AICC office at Delhi with a host of protest-resolutions and letters being flashed from J&K.
Pertinent to mention here is that Congress high command, in place of the vacancy, arising out of outgoing MLC RS Chib, is hobnobbing with the idea of fielding a person, again on the caste community considerations in his place.
Similarly, a very senior Cabinet Minister and close confidant of JKPCC president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz has risen in revolt against him in respect of his choice of candidates for MLC-ship. He wants Soz to assert on making politically significant people as MLCs, particularly, when elections to the State Assembly are round the corner.
Amidst this fiercest-ever tug-of-war, both Azad as well as Soz are facing tight corners within their respective factions for narrowing down their zones of consideration. While Azad is being piqued by Narinder Sharma, Darshan Raina, Vinod Sharma, Janak Raj Gupta, A.S. Micky, Abdul Gani Vakil, Haji Abdul Rashid, Manzur Ganai, Amin Bhat and other supporters who are pleading for their consideration too. Soz is also facing the same situation from his favourites who have bee-lined around him and are creating pressure for recommending their candidature too. Prominent among them include Mangat Ram Sharma, Dharampal Sharma, Hari Singh, Hari Singh Chib, Sheikh Haider, Pardip Parihar, Prem Sagar Aziz and Shiv Kumar Sharma.
These MLC elections have also witnessed fiercest-ever tug-of-war between two factions and the developments are being keenly watched with keen interest by political observers within and outside the State.
Sources close to Congress headquarters in Delhi admit that peripheral and district-representation are gaining weight with every racing day of the crucial week ahead with voices of inadequate political representation are being raised from Udhampur, Samba, Rajouri, Ramban and Kishtwar.
Another third force which is slowly gaining momentum in New Delhi is desperate attempts by leaders of Youth Congress to allot the seat of Mohd. Amin Bhat, former Youth Congress president to a candidate from Youth Congress only, and this time from Jammu region, preferably.
While Amin Bhat is desperately seeking his repetition for second term , trying to influence the concerned quarters with a 'managed' strength of supporters, RS Chib is also believed to be making very attempt to get the things clicked for second term. However, there is strong opposition to any bid to re-accommodate Amin Bhat. On the contrary, functionaries from Valley are favoring Muzaffar Parray in his place.
A wide host of Youth Congress leaders could easily be seen on daily basis in Indian Youth Congress headquarters at Raisina Road, New Delhi, drafting strategies and practices to impress upon the Prince Charming of Congress to dole out his 'much-hyped' Youth quota in the allocation of MLC-tickets this time. Rashid Choudhary, Manjit Singh Jatt, Abid Kashmiri, Shoaib Lone and Dr. Adil are some of the probables whose names are doing the rounds in the office of Rajiv Satav, National Youth Congress president. Everybody is now on tenterhooks as to who will be the' bridegrooms-in-waiting'. It remains to be seen who emerges as victorious. |
