Srinagar, (RNA): Amid speculations of Congress President Rahul Ganndi offering to quit owing to humiliating drubing in the elections, Voices of desent in Party’s Jammu and Kashmir Unit against a stalwart leader- considered to be close to Gandhi family -has also began gaining momentum, with some terming him as a mere ‘ liability’ who has not been able to win votes for pary candidate even from his own assmebly segment. The party leaders are upset with the former Chief Minister and leader of opposition in Rajya Sabha Ghulam Nabi Azad who was the chairman of the Campiaging Committee in the state – for not taking the contest in the J&K seriously and giving the BJP virtualy a ‘walkover’ in the Jammu and Ladakh regions. Many senior congress leaders in the party told RNA that Azad did not hold even a single meeting of the nine member Campaiging committee in the state which led to fragmentation of the party, resulting in the debacle.
While accusing him of being politically ‘selfish’, the local congress leaders said that the former Chief Minister did not even cast his own vote and did not bother to take others along.
Sources in the party told RNA that the absence of understanding and cohesiveness in the congress team led to a huge debacle for party in the Jammu and Ladakh regions. They siad even in Azad’s home consistency, the BJP candidate and Union Minister Dr. Jatinder Singh secured a whophing lead of more than three and a half lakh votes which is more than what Azad secured in totality when he contested against Singh in 2014. They blamed Azad of trying to hide his failures and alleged that he was scared of contesting the elections.
“If Rahul Gandhi can contest elections, why can’t Azad. He is not contesting assembly elections and is runing away from Parliament elections as well. So how can he be a guiding force and an inspiration for others. He wants to play safe which is costing the party immensely.” A senior leader of the JKPCC told RNA.
Another leader reveled to RNA that Azad- who was the chairman of the campaign comitee in J&K- has not held even a single meeting of the committee and prefered to go solo with an intention to take the credit in case of a win.
“Have you ever seen that a campaiging committee constituted for the elections actually ends up never meeting during the whole process.” questioned a senior leader of the party who was part of the committee, adding that now when a debacle has come their way, he ( Azad) must be ready to reap the dividents of dis-credit also.
He called the former Chief Minster a ‘conspirator’ who resorts to ‘ negative politics’ indulging in ‘ revenage tactics’ if someone doesn’t agree with him.
“He did it against Prof. Soz also and has been doing even now. Nobody in the party is feeling comfortable wih him but they don’t speak fearing he would conspire against them and would ensure that they lose in the elections.” a leader in the party told RNA, adding that they would only get his emailed choper schedule from Delhi during the capmaging.
“He used to come and go. Choper rides won’t win you the elections. See at BJP, they sent leaders who camped in Jammu, Udampur, Dooda, Ladakh and held extesive campaiging. Instead Azad was coming and going. Touch and Go was what he did and this can’t win you elections.” another leader who was privy to the devlopments told RNA. He claimed that lakhs of muslims voted for BJP in Rajouri and Ponch and Azad was never serious to reach out to them .
“BJP’s public support was at the lowest ebb, but they have strong organisation which won them this election. We had public support but a weak organisation which could not channelise that support properly due to old, obselete tactics.” Said the leader stressing for a huge overhaul of the organisation.
“ Rahul Gandhi must be ruthless to rise from the debalce. He must roll heads. If the congress has to survive and make a comeback, heads must roll and Rahul Gandhi must be decisive and throw these leaders out.” demanded the visibly agitated leaders in J&K congress.
According to sources, the local Unit of Congress was up in arms against Azad and might demand him to shoulder the responsibility of the poor performance in J&K.
“ Everythiing has an expiry date. He has reached to optimum expiry and must consider siting back now. He is not contesting elections, nor is he helping others to win, so what for do we need him in the party. He must go now.” demanded a senior leader. (RNA)
