Can be an individual opinion; thankful to NC for its support in Jammu: Soz
Srinagar: The state Congress is rocked by rebellion in Gurez with a former MLA and a Congress leader Faqir Mohammad Khan announcing a complete boycott of Shareef-u-Din Shariq, the coalition candidate for the upcoming Lok Sabah polls in North Kashmir constituency.
Talking to KNS, Khan said: “The Congress workers here have decided to go for a complete boycott of National Conference candidate as the coalition government has failed us on every front.”
He alleged that the National Conference led coalition government has benefited only NC workers and the Congress cadres have been left high and dry. “Our (Congress) workers have been ignored and neglected by this coalition government to the hilt,” he said, adding that the upcoming Lok Sabha elections will witness a complete boycott of the NC candidate from Baramulla Lok Sabah constituency.
He said that since the Congress workers in Gurez have decided to boycott the NC candidate, their support to any other political party cannot be ruled out in the upcoming Parliamentary polls in North Kashmir.
Reacting to Khan’s announcement, Ghulam Nabi Monga, vice president PCC told KNS: “It is a totally wrong and immature statement from Faqir Khan. He is not authorized to make such statements. We (Congress) ensure that each and every vote of Congress is cast in favour of our coalition candidate (Sahreef-u-din Shariq). We strongly rebut Khan’s announcement as it can be his personal opinion and not that of the party.”
When contacted Pradesh Congress Committee president Prof Saifuddin Soz said that Khan’s opinion is his personal and the Congress has nothing to do with it. “I am sorting out such statements. It can be an individual statement. We are duty bound to support our coalition partner in the three seats of Kashmir valley as they will do it for us in the three seats of Jammu and Ladakh.”
Soz added that the recently held joint rallies in Jammu, the National Conference has whole heartedly supported Congress candidates in that region. “I am thankful to the National Conference for its whole hearted support to our candidates. We have to go together and there is no question of not supporting the NC candidates in the three seats of Valley.”
The PCC president also thanked Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Ajay Sadhotra and Devender Rana and other NC leaders for remaining present in the nomination functions of Congress candidates in Jammu.(KNS)