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| Soz bids at grassroots connections | | | Early Times Reporter
Jammu | Oct 7
After carving for himself a formidable position in the top organizational hierarchy in New Delhi, the "guest in Congress" Prof Saif-ud-Din is now making grassroots inroads to make his political relevance in Jammu and Kashmir.
A die hard National Conference stalwart Saif-ud-Din Soz switched sides to the Congress when he played an instrumental role in the fall of Atal Behari Vajpayee government in 1999. His party National Conference had decided to vote for the Vajpayee regime but Soz skipped his presence during a crucial floor test thus proving instrumental in fall of the then 13 months old Vajpayee government.
The National Conference spared no time in expelling Soz from the party. However, for the monumental task he performed, the Congress welcomed him with open arms and later awarded Soz with Rajya Sabha seat. Though he made a position in Delhi after playing "conscious" role in fall of Vajpayee government but the Congress leaders and workers in Jammu and Kashmir could not reconcile with his position and they still describe him as a "guest in the party".
However, notwithstanding Soz's little grassroots relevance in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress high command has been decorating him with positions in party as well as government.
After exit of the present Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad from the union cabinet, the Congress high command inducted Soz to give representation to Jammu and Kashmir. Azad and his supporters were reported to have pitched for Madan Lal Sharma for the post of a Minister of State in the union council of ministers for want of proper representation to Jammu and Kashmir but the party high command decided in favour of Soz.
Not only the ministerial assignment, Soz was also later inducted into the Congress Working Committee –the highest decision making body. Interestingly, here too he replaced Ghulam Nabi Azad, thus assuming all powerful positions in New Delhi.
After strengthening his base in the party's central leadership in Delhi, Soz is now making attempts to have right kind of grassroots connection as well. Towards achieving this, Soz has been making frequent trips to Srinagar but has had little openings in Jammu till he found Member Parliament Chowdhary Lal Singh on his side.
Soz has now begun making public contacts from Kathua districts and the MP and the local MLAs including those representing Basohli and Hiranagar are organizing public meetings from him. In run up to the next assembly elections, this will have to be seen keenly that what role Soz is able to play. |
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