Early Times Report
Jammu, Feb 18: Elections of National Conference members as chairperson and vice-chairperson of the District Development Council (DDC) Ramban is a clear indication that party (NC) has ditched Congress in this district.
Instead of depending upon Congress members for support in the election, the NC leadership successfully roped in three independents and easily won both chairperson and vice-chairperson.
NC has six members in the DDC Ramban and Congress has two so both the parties were in a position to easily win seats of chairperson and vice-chairperson.
Reliable sources said that earlier NC had promised to give the vice chairperson’s post to Congress but on the eve of the elections, NC leadership successfully roped in three independents. “At the eleventh hour Ramban is the only DDC having women as chairperson and vice-chairperson
Although the seat of the chairperson of Ramban district was reserved for woman, NC leadership fielded woman candidate Rabia Rashid Baig- who won election as independent candidate, for the post of vice-chairperson. As NC has six members in its kitty, the party successfully won both the seats with the support of three independents in the house of 14 members.
Despite repeated attempts no Congress leader was ready to officially speak on this issue but on the condition of anonymity some party leaders admitted that NC has ditched them at the eleventh hour.
Sources said that when election of DDC Ramban was postponed due to lack of quorum on February 13, NC and Congress leadership had decided to field Shamshad Shan of NC as chairperson and Imtiyaz Ahmed Khanday of Congress as vice-chairperson.
On Wednesday evening, NC leadership roped in three independents and dumped Congress at the eleventh hour. | 