Mustansir
Srinagar, June 4; A high level delegation of Congress leaders led by senior leader Makhan Lal Fotedar on Wednesday reached here on a weeklong visit to assess the political scenario in the aftermath of electoral drubbing of the NC-Congress alliance.
Fotedar, it merits a mention here, was against any alliance with the National Conference from the day one. In 2010 unrest, when entire Kashmir was on boil, according to the sources, Fotedar was in favour of breaking ties with National Conference. The senior Congress leader, at that point of time was even quoted by some insiders as having suggested to the party high command to take back support to the Omar Abdullah led government and revive relationship with opposition Peoples Democratic Party-an idea that was opposed by the high command as well as the PDP patron Mufti Muhammad Sayeed. Sources in the Congress recalled that after the results of the 2008 Assembly elections were out Fotedar and some other AICC leaders were vehemently favouring alliance with PDP to keep NC out, however, the then AICC General Secretary, Rahul Ghandi rejected the idea of forging any alliance with PDP. They said that just a couple of days before the results were out in 2008, Fotedar met PDP patron, Mufti Muhammad Sayeed twice to convince him for revival of relationship with Congress but the latter insisted that any decision to this effect will be taken after the results were out. Fotedar, as according to the sources, was convinced even today that the poor performance of Congress party in the recently held Lok Sabha election in J&K was primarily because of the alliance with NC. They maintain that Fotedar was not favouring any electoral alliance with NC.
Now, after the Rahul Ghandi's poor performance at the national level, senior congress leaders are reasserting in their respective states taking local factors into account. It is in this backdrop that Fotedar along with some senior Congress leaders arrived here Wednesday to discuss the post-poll scenario with local congress leaders. Sources said that the former cabinet minister in centre and advisor to late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, Fotedar, will also meet various political and apolitical leaders during his visit to the state. |
