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| Protecting Omar over Yousuf death to cost Congress heavily | | Kamaal's appointment not received well in Cong leadership | | KUNAL SHRIVATSA
JAMMU, Oct 16: The controversy surrounding the 'custodial death' of Haji Yousuf and wide spread resentment against Omar Abdullah led National Conference-Congress coalition government over the issue has started to take a toll on ties between the two alliance partners.
Ever since the 'mysterious' death of Yousuf, the rank and file in Pradesh Congress is in a state of uneasiness as they are finding it quite difficult to defend Omar Abdullah.
If party insiders are to be believed the State Congress leadership is trying to wriggle free from National Conference's embrace, however, the stance of party high command in giving yet another reprieve to Omar Abdullah, this time over Haji's death, has put the Congress leaders in a fix.
Several senior Congress leaders are of the opinion, saying it albeit in a hush- hush manner, that continuing support to the National Conference would eventually erode the party base in J&K particularly in Kashmir region where it is already fighting for its survival.
A senior Congress leader wishing anonymity opined that even if the party high command is not in a mood to sever ties with NC, it at least could send a stern warning to Omar Abdullah for what is being felt as his immature handling of one matter or the other which in turn made things awkward for Congressmen in the state.
He further said that the credibility of the state government is at stake with the turn of events adding that even the development works have also been stalled.
Moreover, a common Congress worker's hopes and aspirations have been dashed during this regime as their grievances and problems are not being addressed by the administration.
"The morale of Congress cadre is at its lowest ebb since the administration is neglecting them….. Being a partner in coalition government, the party activists are not getting their due share, which they really deserve," he said
The party sources said 'protecting' Omar Abdullah over and over again may prove fatal for the State Congress on one hand and on the other this tendency of the party high command has somewhat made the NC leadership inflexible towards Congress.
Besides the 'contentious' issue of Yousuf's death, the appointment of Sheikh Mustafa Kamaal as National Conference General Secretary has also not gone down well within the State Congress leadership as Kamaal is considered to be a harsh critic of the Congress.
Kamaal's jibes againast the Congress are well known as he on several occasions in the past had openly hit the Congress party, which made the Congress leadership frowning, however, with the clarifications by NC leadership, the relation between the two parties was stopped from getting bad to worse.
The timing of Kamaal's appointment has raised eye brows of the State Congress leadership which is rooting for its own Chief Minister after three year tenure of NC gets completed.
With Congress central leadership not yet ready to open its cards on possibility of pressing for installation of a Congress Chief Minister after the completion of Junior Abdullah's three year term, however, the timing of Kamaal's appointment is being perceived as to exert pressure on Congress whether it wants to replace Omar or not.
"Kamaal's appointment as NC's chief spokesperson is surely perplexing for Congress as he is quite vocal in Congress bashing …. Though Congress high command is tight lipped over the rotational CM issue but in event of a change in guard in the State, the NC leadership through Mustafa Kamaal's offensive remarks wants to put the State Congress on a tight leash," sources quipped
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