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| Move gives fresh impetus to 'unlikely' prospects of future coalition | | Jabbar's entry into party to prove costly for NC | | Early Times Report
JAMMU, Aug 29: Having reposed faith and relied heavily in reaping political harvest in hustings next year, Congress feels itself in a tight spot after losing Sheikh Ishfaq Jabbar to its ruling alliance partner National Conference. Congress is more perturbed at the move played by NC in wooing Jabbar first and finally embracing him in a manner to suggest it as latter's voluntary step. Congress sees it as its own partner denting the party's strongholds in Kashmir, development which it has taken seriously. Wooing Jabbar into NC fold is the latest grain that has strained further already edgy ties between the coalition partners. The move may give some benefits to NC but it has not augured well in terms of coalition's smooth prospects in future.
Sources said even though JKPCC chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz has on the face of the development downplayed it, but the party leadership feels it as a huge setback not only for prospects in Ganderbal but beyond this constituency as Jabbar is said to be yielding hold over sizable chunk of supporters whose active role can certainly change the game at the time of elections. Sources said having taken as it as political blow by NC and brazen moves to directly harm Congress' interests , the latter has conveyed this to the high command, besides expressing what Jabbar's parting ways with Congress would mean to Congress to Ambika Soni who is in charge of the party in the state.
Sources said while quitting Congress at a time when it has just begun the momentum of activities for elections Jabbar has put the party is a difficult spot in terms of losing a huge chunk of his influence over the voters, the party leadership is more angry and resentment as to how NC had been trying to woo him knowing well it would mean denting the interests of the party with whose support it is ruling the Government. "It has certainly annoyed Congress and unnerved the leadership in many ways ...the party will surely not sit back in paying NC in the same coin…", said a senior Congress leader from Kashmir. These may be small moves NC is playing for immediate gains but it is going to pay them heavily , he further said adding that as the Congress has taken it very seriously in NC not safeguarding the Congress interests , it is a foregone conclusion that with NC indulging is such misadventures, the future of coalition is not intact at all.
It is now widely known that Jabbar had been angered with the Congress leadership as he was not considered for the MLC's slot when the term of the then Congress MLC from Ganderbal Ali Mohammad Bhat had ended early this year. Pertinently, at that point of time the then in charge of J&K Congress Mohan Prakash, went to Jabbar's home in Lar village of Ganderbal to reassure him that there was something important in Congress kitty , probably the strong indication that Congress could give him mandate of contesting 2014 polls from Ganderbal constituency. However, NC , having smelt dissatisfaction and disgruntled state of Jabbar without caring about Congress' keen interests in Jabbar, kept wooing him for a long time and finally managed his entry into the party fold. |
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