news details |
|
|
| Sonia to hold talks with Azad on Cong-PDP rift | | Centre against mid-term poll in J and K | |
BL KAK
NEW DELHI, DEC 21
The Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, is reported to have decided to hold parleys in the next few days with the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, on the state of health of the Congress-led coalition government in the State. According to a source close to Sonia, a word has gone out from 10 Janpath to the J&K Chief Minister in relation to the Congress supremo's plan to hold talks with him on the crucial issue arising from differences between the two main components of the J&K government--Congress and the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
Sonia Gandhi's decision to hold consultations with Ghulam Nabi Azad on how to tackle the "voice of dissent" assumes signifcance in the context of the collision course the two main political componets--the Congress and the PDP--are on for months now. Sonia and Azad as well as the PDP's esprit de corps, Mufti Mohammed Sayeed, are conscious of the fact that the ruling coalition in Jammu and Kashmir has never been a stable entity. Sonia is also aware of yet another fact that diffrences have become more pronounced since Azad replaced Mufti Sayeed as the State's Chief Minister.
Pursuing different political ideologies, the Congress and the PDP have, in the process, added a new complexion to the political scenario in the troubled State. Azad's Congress has a national agenda, while the PDP headed by Mufti Sayeed's ebullient daughter, Mehbooba Mufti, projects itdelf as a home-grown nationalist alternative to the National Conference (NC). The PDP has been accused of unnecessarily embarrasing the State Congress leadership from time to time. And it was not without meaning when Ghulam Nabi Azad criticised the PDP's politcs a few months ago.
Differences between the Congress and the PDP became an open secret when Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, ofered certain portfolios to the former Deputy Chief Minister, Muzaffar Hussain Baig, against the wishes of his PDP party. Azad was at that point of time charged by the PDP activists with attempting to split the PDP. The PDP leadership (read Mufti Sayeed-Mehbooba Mufti duo) ran fast and furious and recalled Baig from the Ministry headed by Azad and replaced him with Tariq Hameed Qarra.
The political scene in Jammu and Kashmir witnessed a significant change when Hamid Qarra, who is currently the Finance Minister, decided to boycott the Cabinet meeting on Wednesday. He had objected on Monday to an administrative circular issued by the Chief Minister's office, restricting Ministers from sanctioning funds for development works without Azad's approval or the Cabinet's endorsement.
Political and official circles in J&K appeared active after the Chief Minister, Azad, threatened to dissolve the State Assembly. Hamid Qarra, who declined to relent, pronounced that his party (PDP) "is ready to face elctions any time". The talk of "mid-term poll" in the troubled State was taken note of by the Congress High Command. The source close to Sonia Gandhi divulged that she has not appreciated the talk of early polls in J&K.
According to the source, the Congress High Command has not taken gladly to Hamid Qarra's charge that the Congress harmoured colonial mindset and was not interested in peace proposals and democratic process in J&K. Discussions on this "provocative" charge and other issues will take place during the upcoming talks between Sonia and Ghulam Nabi Azad, the source said.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
