Ghulam Nabi Azad and Congress Party General Secretary Ambika Soni arriving in Srinagar for a two day visit on Sunday to assess the poll debacle

Srinagar, Jun 01 (RNA): Embarrassed with the humiliating Poll debacle, the senior Congress leaders Ghulam Nabi Azad and Party General Secretary Ambika Soni are arriving in Srinagar for a two day visit on Sunday to assess the poll debacle. Azad would chair a ‘Chintan Mathan’ meeting – as they popularly call it – of local senior Congress leaders at Nigeen at 4 PM tomorrow which would be followed by an Iftar party.
Sources in the Congress told RNA, that the senior duo would get a feed back about the failures in the Lok Sabha polls and may also discuss the future strategy on assembly polls which are due anytime from now in the state. The Visit of former Chief Minster and Party’s In -charge JK affairs comes at a time when most of the local leaders seem annoyed with both for what they say- their flawed campaign and casual approach to woo voters during the poll process.
RNA has learnt from reliable sources in the party that a wave of anger is brewing against the duo and a section of local party leaders and workers were holding them (Azad, Ambika Soni along with local congress chief) responsible for the humiliating drubbing in the state. They said Azad was absolutely non-serious about the contest in the Jammu and Kashmir and has virtually thrown the seats in the lap of BJP and National Conference. They said the former Chief minister was hardly bothered about the debacle instead his Srinagar visit was only aimed to get a larger role in the forthcoming assembly polls. A senior leader of the party told RNA, that Azad and Ambika Soni were trying to shield their failures and holding the meeting would probably be aimed to get the mood of the local congress leaders so that they get their defense prepared for a possible drubbing form the Party President Rahul Gandhi later this month.
“Ambika Soni is a huge liability for congress in Punjab itself wherefrom she comes. Nobody is ready to accept her there, so they sent her to J&K. Here she has bulldozed the congress in the state reducing it to a mere ‘ nukad’ party, because of non-seriousness and her other considerations other than the organization.’’ a senior party leader told RNA, adding that she did not come once to the state during the electioneering which makes her intentions clear about what she stands for..
“What kind of a general secretary do you have who doesn’t visit even once during the campaigning. And when you have been left to bite the dust, she suddenly appears on the Dal banks for a picnic and possibly for seeking an extension of her role here.” another senior leader of the party told RNA. He added that congress has been decimated in the state because of Ambika Soni who has been constantly ‘misleading’ the Party high command including Rahul Gandhi on J&K affairs which is why the party faced such a humiliating defeat.
“You can’t imagine what these leaders have been doing to the party. You don’t need Narendra Modi or Amit Shah to upset you. Ambika and Azad like leaders are enough to wipe the party out from the political map of India.” Said an agitated leader who would probably confront the duo in the Sunday meeting.
“They are coming here to cover up their failures. But I am afraid they won’t be able to do that. Our workers have started switching sides. How long can they afford loss? They have probably realized that this leadership is never going to help the party to assume power. So why should they suffer and these leaders who even don’t contest continue to cling on to their posts.” Said the leader, adding that the responsibility must be fixed on Azad, Soni and the state Party Chief G.A Mir.
Meanwhile RNA has learnt that many leaders of the Pradesh Congress Committee are considering switching sides with some prominent faces already having opened back channels with BJP and other parties. If sources are to be believed – frustrated with Non- Cooperation from the Azad led Campaigning Committee, a senior congress leader who contested the Polls in Jammu region against BJP was mulling to desert the camp along with a former minster and might join BJP in coming days. If that really happens, this would be a huge blot on the face of the local Congress party which is riddled with internal crises following the drubbing.
“In Such a tense and desperate situation if Ghulam Nabi Azad and Ambika Soni are coming to Srinagar for a Dal picnic, no one can save the party from the extinction crises it is currently entangled in.” Said a congress leader. (RNA)