 Early Times Report
Jammu, June 27: Congress high command on Thursday asked leaders of the Jammu and Kashmir unit to iron out their differences and work unitedly to face BJP in the coming Assembly polls in the Union Territory.
Congress president Malikarjun Kharge along with Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary (organization) K C Venugopal met with leaders of both the warring factions of the party to solve differences in the party.
Highly placed sources said that leadership of the party warned leaders against indulging in factionalism and demonizing each other on party platforms.
“Although high command was not satisfied with the result of the Lok Sabha elections where the party failed to snatch any of the two Parliamentary seats of Jammu province from BJP, it was observed in the meeting that base of the Saffron Party is eroding in Jammu province and the coming Assembly polls are an opportunity to defeat BJP in this part of J&K”, sources said.
Sources said that the central leadership of the party informed that was not difficult to defea Congress leadership warned leaders against indulging in factionalism and demonizing each other on party platforms.
It was observed in the meeting that the coming Assembly polls are an opportunity to defeat BJP in Jammu.
The party high command was of the view that the party would have performed well had workers and leaders sorted out their differences.
Party leaders were asked to give their suggestions about an alliance with NC and to enter into seat adjustment with the PDP.
Although Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee chief Vikar Rasool Wani highlighted that the party’s vote bank has increased in Jammu province where BJP’s vote bank has slashed to 26 percent from 46 percent, the party's high command was of the view that the party would have performed well had workers and leaders iron out their differences.
Sources said that in the meeting Rahul Gandhi sought suggestions from the party leaders to devise strategy for the forthcoming Assembly elections in J&K.
Party leaders, sources said, were also asked to give their suggestions about an alliance with the National Conference and to enter into seat adjustment with the PDP to set up a broad alliance in Jammu and Kashmir.
Sources said that leaders of the J&K have also been directed to constitute panels of potential candidates for the Assembly elections to avoid any confusion after the announcement of the election schedule. | 