Rotational CM: More than meets the eye

JKPCC ‘united’ on mid-term change of guard

SYED ALI SAFVI

SRINAGAR, Oct 18: The senior leaders in state and central Congress may be doing their best to brush aside the questions about the possibility of mid-term change of power in Jammu and Kashmir, but the ambitions brewing in the rank and file of the state Congress unit are too strong to put a lid on.
After AICC general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, it was the turn of visiting union minister and former J&K chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, to face questions from state Congress leaders and workers on the issue of rotational chief minister-ship in J&K.
Pertinently, as Omar Abdullah-led government is nearing three years, the state Congress has upped the demand for change of power in the state. Interestingly, after being dogged by infighting and bickering for too long, the J&K Pradesh Congress Party (JKPCC) seems united on the issue of mid-term change of power.
The issue of rotation of chief minister has assumed greater significance in the wake of Congress workers’ complaint against “deep-rooted corruption” and “mis-governance” in the state. They also blamed the government for not treating Congress workers at par with NC workers.
Even the state Congress chief, Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz, has publically admitted that Congress workers were being ill-treated by their coalition partner.
Azad, who was on a three-day visit to the state, was all fire against the Omar Abdullah-led government during his visit to restive Bhaderwah.
According to the party insiders, the state Congress leaders and workers apprised Azad of their grievances with the NC-led regime during his meeting with them at Nehru guest house here.
Sources said that Congress workers told Azad that the government was not treating them at par with NC workers.
“The (Congress) workers also castigated Congress ministers for not paying heed to them,” said the party insiders.
Unlike 2010, the mood at 10 Janpath seems to have changed. This can be gauged from the response of AICC general secretary, Rahul Gandhi, when he was asked about the issue of rotational chief minister-ship during his recent visit to the valley.
Not ruling out the possibility of change of guard in the state, Rahul recently said, “It (rotational of chief minister) is to be decided by the party high command.”
Pertinently, the Gandhi scion had offered all out support for the beleaguered Abdullah scion when the valley was reeling under unprecedented civil unrest last year and thus punctured a campaign to replace Omar Abdullah.
“It is true that most of the decisions within the Congress party are taken mainly by the few top leaders - and this is more true about Kashmir. For this state, the decision lies with the High command only,” says Rekha Chowdhary, noted political analyst. “Unless there is a clear direction from above, one would not know what is going to happen.”
Ever since National Conference-Congress coalition took over the reins of the government in the state, the coalition functioning has been marred by recurrent tussle between the two historically estranged parties.
The Omar Abdullah led coalition government started on a rather uneasy note as the two partied found it tough to sit together to chalk out a common minimum programme (CMP), outlining the goals of the coalition.
The 32-month-old coalition has witnessed the two parties, more often, locking horns with each other on a range of issues including the mid-term change of guard in the state.
“Government seems to be functioning only on papers. State Congress unit is losing its credibility at the cost of misdeeds of National Conference,” president J&K Pradesh Youth Congress, Shoaib Lone told Kashmir Times. “Enough is enough! It’s high time that Congress takes over the reins of the government in its hands.”
Lone said that the constituencies of Congress MLAs have been ignored by the NC led government.
“Direct recruitments by police were done in only three constituencies in the state and all the three constituencies were won by NC party,” he said.
The fate of R&B portfolio, which still lies vacant, can serve as the classical example of coalition (mis)functioning.
The Congress high command had asked then R&B minister, GM Saroori, to step down on August 25 last year following the alleged impersonation of his daughter in entrance examination.
Ever since, the portfolio lies vacant. Thirteen months on, the Congress is yet to decide on Saroori’s successor. The portfolio is presently lying with the chief minister.
A senior state Congress leader said that the party workers were not satisfied with the party’s coalition partner.
“There are genuine development grievances. Even NREGA, IAY are not been properly distributed,” he said.
For Omar Abdullah, nothing seems to be going right. From his personal life to public life, he seems to be dogged by controversies. The ship of Omar Abdullah government already finds itself in troubled waters. If the issue of recovery of over 2000 unnamed graves was not enough, the government landed itself into yet another controversy over the alleged custodial death of ruling NC worker.
The opposition has also upped the ante against the government with state’s principal opposition party, People’s Democratic Party (PDP) demanding resignation of Omar Abdullah, NC president, Farooq Abdullah, and MoS Home, Nasir Aslam Wani.