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| Loyalists want Sonia to axe dissidents to save Congress | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, May 28: Has Ghulam Nabi Azad become so indispensable in the union cabinet and for the All India Congress that the party high command continues to ignore his strategy of patronising the dissidents in the Jammu and Kashmir congress ? This question has assumed significance following reports that as a result of patronage from Ghulam Nabi Azad two ministers,belonging to the congress,do not deem it necessary to inform or to discuss with the Chief Minister,Omar Abdullah,and the PCC Chief, Prof.Saif-ud-Din Soz,important Government and party matters.
Informed sources said that Azad has become so indispensable for the Congress high command that it did not attach any significance to the reports submitted by three senior Congress ministers who had called on Sonia Gandhi and other party functionaries in Delhi over a month ago.These ministers had plainly told Sonia Gandhi and others about the machinations of Azad in trying to play the dissidents against the loyalists to the advantage of the National Conference and the PDP.
These sources said that for the Congress high command Azad is a dependable Muslim leader from Jammu and Kashmir who can be relied on during any crisis either at the national or the international level.The records with the central intelligence agencies reveal that among most of the Muslim leaders from Jammu and kashmir,whether belonging to the National Conference or the Congress or the PDP,Azad is treated as a trusted politician.In addition to this his handling of the Congress affairs at the national level and in various states as AICC General secretary in the past and as the union Health Minister has attracted appreciation from Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister,Manmohan Singh.
However,loyalists in the state Congress say that if Azad's performance as AICC General secretary and later as Union health Minister has been appreciable his role in Jammu and Kashmir amounts to nothing less than "anti-congress" activity. They recall that since 1990 Azad has been instrumental in making things hot for the successive PCC Presidents. One senior Congress leader, belonging to the camp of loyalists,said that Azad had left no stone unturned in turning the tables on Ghulam Rasool Kar when he headed the PCC during critical period of 90's.He said Azad repeated his machinations during the time Mohd.Shafi Qureshi,Peerzada Mohd.Syed, Ch.Mohd.Aslam functioned as PCC Presidents. He is repeating the same trick by patronising the dissidents to the discomfiture of Soz who has been able to promote better ties between the Congress and the National Conference. And whenever there are some differences between the coalition partners they are the result of the activities of the Azad led dissidents.
The loyalists say that if the dissidents were not tamed the Congress could be mauled in 2014 Assembly elections.In support of their contention they said that while in 2002 Assembly election the Congress won 20 seats and its strength in the Assembly swelled to 26 after six independent MLAs joined the party in 2008 Poll the party won 17 seats indicating gradual drop in its strength.
In reply to a question another senior Congress leader said that even after Azad has got berth in the central cabinet he is not willing to lose control of the party and the Government affairs in Jammu and Kashmir.The tragedy with Azad is that he cherishes and relishes keeping the strings of power in his home state in his hands directly or indirectly.He said that it is in the context of this development that loyalists expect Sonia,Who will visit Jammu on Saturday, to take firm measures for infusing discipline in the state unit of the Congress failing which the dissidents may cause major erosion in the organisation.
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