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| NC wants Sheikh Nazir to play poster boy | | | Early Times Report
Srinagar, Feb 9: For the first time in its history, the National Conference (NC) has started using its general secretary, Sheikh Nazir as a poster boy rather than a policy maker. Nazir, it is believed nurtures separatist tendencies.
Sheikh Nazir, it is believed, would secretly frame party’s strategy in his Soura residence. Sources close to NC say that the party chose to sit in opposition in 2002 at his behest. “Farooq Abdullah has not contested elections. Omar Abdullah has lost. That means nobody from Sheikh family can become the Chief Minister. And, we are not going to set a good precedent by conceding the Chief Ministerial berth to outsiders”, he is believed to have said.
Nazir, an active worker of Plebiscite Front was arrested several times and subjected to severe interrogation. He has never been to Delhi. In fact, he has never gone out of the state. “He does not want to go to India (outside the state). He has never traveled by the Indian Airlines”, a close relative preferring anonymity said.
Nazir prefers to sit in his room guarding a box containing important documents of Plebscite Front and NC which lies beneath his bed. Surprisingly, Nazir hates lime light and interviews and lives in seclusion.
However, the NC leadership has decided to put him to `proper use’. He is seen in every function of the party and has addressed the workers as well on several occasions. He kick started the party’s membership drive from Budgam district last year.
The PDP, it is believed has given tough competition to NC since the past ten years. The number of seats won by the PDP in previous assembly elections has forced NC to take appropriate measures. For the first time since the death of Sher-e-Kashmir, the NC, senior workers believe has felt need for credible people especially in rural areas.
PDP has emerged as a force to reckon. NC that had absolute majority in 1996 house could manage 28 seats in 2002 elections. The party had to seek the support of `not so trusted ally’ to form the government.
The party, however, believes that Sheikh Nazir’s magic would lead it out of the crisis. The NC leadership is pampering Nazir and preparing him to play a role that the organization so much needs in contemporary Kashmir. Addressing a convention of party workers, Chief Minister’s advisor, Davinder Rana urged them to follow the path shown by Sheikh Nazir. Little does Rana know that Nazir never was an ideologue. The good news for NC is that Nazir is willing to play the poster boy.
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