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| Congress looses pace on safest wicket | | Mir is candidate for Poonch, Sharma too may jump in fray | | NIRBHAY JAMMUAL
Jammu | Nov 22
On its one of the most secure wickets, the ruling Congress party today appeared loosing pace when it announced its candidate for by-election to Poonch assembly constituency which goes to polls on December 12.
Contrary to expectations in the political circles, the Congress party announced Jahangir Mir as its candidate for by-elections to Poonch assembly constituency. A decision to this effect was made by Pradesh Congress Committee president Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed after consultations with the party high command in New Delhi, said the party sources.
Jahangir Mir faces main contest with a youngster Ajaz Jaan of National Conference. Jaan is son of the former National Conference MLA from Poonch Ghulam Mohammad Jaan who died in harness thus necessitating the by-elections.
The Congress nominee Jahangir Mir is a kin of retired party heavy weight GM Mir Poonchhi. Poonchhi has remained a Minister in the Jammu and Kashmir Government and also a Member of Parliament.
Sources pointed out that the nomination of Jahangir Mir has not gone well with the party veteran in Poonch Yash Pal Sharma. An old warhorse, who could never make it to the legislative assembly despite several contests, Sharma was a front runner for the party ticket. However, the last minute decision of the party high command has put Sharma and his supporters in a bad mood.
A close relative of the Minister of State for Industries and Public Health Engineering Dr Romesh Sharma, sources said Yash Pal Sharma is actively considering the option of contesting the assembly election as an independent candidate. "He is all set to file his nomination as an independent candidate as he had never expected what the party has decided", said a close associate of Yash Pal Sharma.
If Yash Pal Sharma finally decides to contest the assembly election as an independent candidate, he can certainly put the Congress interests in grave jeopardy. So far, the Congress was running ahead of the National Conference in Poonch segment but the latest development has put the party position in a lurking danger as far contesting elections from this constituency is concerned.
On the other hand, the National Conference who too was faced with intensive lobbying over the issue of party ticket has managed to put its house in order. Daughter of former party heavy eight GN Ganai was strongly running for the ticket but the party has managed to put her ambitions on hold and mobilize the cadre support for Ajaz Jaan –its official nominee. |
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