Sandeep Bhat
Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 29: The Congress high command’s decision not to contest the Nagrota Assembly by-election has sparked widespread resentment among local leaders and party workers in Jammu, who allege that the move was taken without consultation and has demoralized the rank and file.
According to party insiders, the decision was made unilaterally by the Congress central leadership, bypassing the local functionaries.
The development has deepened the sense of alienation among the cadre in the Jammu region, who believe the party is “surrendering ground” to its rivals instead of rebuilding its lost base.
“The high command’s decision has left workers disheartened. Even if the seat wasn’t a sure win, contesting would have given us visibility and momentum ahead of the Assembly polls,” said a senior Congress functionary from Jammu, requesting anonymity.
Local leaders argue that Nagrota, though never a traditional Congress bastion, has a sizeable segment of loyal voters who have consistently supported the party over the years. With Congress stepping aside, they fear that this vote bank will now drift towards other contenders — particularly Harsh Dev Singh, a strong local face, or the National Conference (NC), which is contesting the seat as part of the ruling alliance.
Sources within the party revealed that the decision to stay away from the Nagrota contest was taken in New Delhi, with little input from the district-level leadership.
“No consultation took place. Leaders on the ground were not even informed in advance,” said another Congress worker from Nagrota. “This is not just about one seat — it’s about the message it sends to workers who have kept the party alive in Jammu despite odds.”
The by-election in Nagrota was seen as a potential testing ground for the Congress to reassert itself in the Jammu region, where it has lost considerable political space to the BJP. However, with the Congress opting out, local leaders fear the party will lose further relevance among voters who were already disenchanted by organizational disarray and delayed decision-making.
Significantly, the ruling National Conference had offered the Nagrota seat to the Congress as part of their coalition understanding. However, Congress declined to contest the bypoll — reportedly as a mark of protest against not being allotted a “safe seat” during the recent Rajya Sabha elections. The party’s central leadership is said to have viewed the bypoll as politically insignificant compared to the perceived “betrayal” during seat-sharing talks for the Upper House.
“The Congress leadership was upset over being sidelined during the Rajya Sabha seat allocation. Not contesting Nagrota is being seen as a symbolic protest against the National Conference’s attitude,” said a political observer in Jammu. “But this move might backfire — it sends a signal of weakness rather than defiance.”
Party cadres fear that this decision will further alienate local workers who were hoping for a revival of political activity after years of stagnation. “By not fielding a candidate, we are giving our traditional voters no option but to support others,” said a block-level Congress worker. “It feels like the party has written off the Jammu region.” |
