Defective strategy and internal bickering in Congress may cost them Jammu /Poonch Parliamentary seat

By Ahmad Wasim, Rajouri

“Pir Punjaal voted whole heartedly for Congress. Only good of Congress is its Candidate Raman Bhalla”The Pre Poll strategic alliance of Congress / National Conference and later the unilateral decision of Peoples Democratic Party not to field any candidate in Jammu and Doda Parliamentary constituencies is noticeably on back foot since congress party’s first day of campaigning. The Congress Party with the support of NC and PDP could have garnered around one lakh more votes from the Pir Panjal region if they would have strategized it a bit better. The majority voter turnout in the region this time was solely by choice and at its own. No sincere and effective efforts were ever made by the Congress leadership and the ground cadres in reaching out to the general masses, convincing and facilitating the electorates of the region to come out and to cast their votes . Though the majority vote cast by the electorates in the region are perceptibly in favour of Congress first because of no choice option and as well a reflection of their emotional sentiments because of the prevailing air against BJP in the region and the fading appeal of Modi. The Congress leadership and its Cadres could not apprehend the same and lost around one lakh votes which they could have managed quite comfortably. The reasons could be many for the Congress for not making it out , but the only good of Congress was the nomination of RamanBhalla as its candidate . The efforts, strength of character and developmental vision of Raman Bhalla since his Youth Congress days to his days of being MLA Gandhi Nagar and a Cabinet Minister are well recognised by the one and all. No National level leader and no one from the Senior Congress men of State PCC , except the local leaders and a former M.P , were found campaigning for Bhalla. Ghulam Nabi Azad too made guest appearances at a few places and that too for just a few hours. All this has resulted in a comparatively low turn out in the region. The better planning and working out the visit of National level and State Top leaders for at least a week in the region could have made the situation fairer . The National Conference which apparently is in Pre Poll alliance also did not bother to come out and work with the Congress Cadres because of their own home ground issues. The PDPs unilateral decision of not fielding any candidate against the Congress on the other hand was in itself a great strategical and open support for the Congress as it clearly signalled its cadres which were around 1.75 lakh in the 2014 Parliamentary elections to go for the Congress. Congress which happens to be a national party in this election totally reflected that it lacks strategy , cadre strength and the micro management whereas the BJP in comparison had its top leaders Narender Modi as star Campaigner who visited Akhnoor and then Amit Shah in Sundarbani and Ram Madhav and Avinash Raj Khanna, their strategists, in various constituencies of the region thereby exhibiting their plan of action and a sincere and committed approach. The public of the region in such situation had got a fair impression that the RSS too had made inroads in the Congress Party and to its middle rung leadership who are hell bent to marginalise it. The ill strategy and internal bickering could also be a part of hidden congress men and RSS collaboration.Out of 5 lakh votes polled in the Pir Panjal region , the analyst gives 85 to 90 thousand votes to the BJP , around 3.50 lakh to 3.75 lakh votes to Congress and the rest to other parties and independent candidates. A little more effort by the congress/NC and PDP men could have led to the polling of around one lakh more votes out of the 2.35 lakh unpolled in their favour but the will of the congress leadership to win the seat was absolutely unaccounted.Above all there is also something good for the Congress to remain hopeful is the aura and individual qualities of Raman Bhalla to get votes from the district of Jammu and Samba as well . In Jammu and Samba around 9.50 lakh votes have been polled and there is fairimpression that Congress is still in the game with the due courtesy of Pir Panjal people and is in neck to neck fight with the BJP and the winning margin amongst the two major candidates is expected to be in thousands only this time.