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| Congress leaders fume over high command focussing on Kashmir, ignoring Jammu | | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Aug 21: Resentment is reportedly brewing among Jammu-based Congress leaders over what they perceive as the party high command's continued preference for the Kashmir Valley when it comes to taking important organisational decisions in Jammu and Kashmir.
The latest trigger is the ongoing exercise to finalise the names of block and district Congress presidents. According to party sources, AICC general secretary in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir Nasir Hussain, along with some senior party leaders, has been camping in Srinagar for the past week and holding consultations on the organisational restructuring.
Jammu-based leaders are reportedly unhappy that they have not been adequately involved in the exercise. Several leaders privately question why the consultations are being held almost exclusively in Srinagar when the party has a significant organisational and electoral presence in the Jammu region.
The issue has reportedly added to the growing sense of discontent among Congress leaders in Jammu, who feel that the region continues to receive inadequate attention from the party's central leadership despite its political importance.
The latest controversy comes against the backdrop of the Congress high command's earlier attempt to address infighting within the J&K unit. A three-member panel constituted by the party leadership to assess the situation and resolve differences among senior leaders also confined its visit to Srinagar, according to party sources.
The panel held meetings with leaders and stakeholders in the Valley, but its limited presence in Jammu had left several Jammu-based leaders dissatisfied.
Party leaders in Jammu argue that consultations on organisational matters should be conducted across both regions to ensure that the views of the entire J&K unit are taken into account.
Congress has traditionally maintained a strong support base in several parts of the Jammu region and has often positioned itself as the principal alternative to the BJP in the region. However, some Jammu-based leaders feel that the party's central leadership has failed to adequately recognise this political reality.
They point out that despite the Congress receiving substantial electoral support from Jammu over the years, important organisational and political decisions are frequently taken after consultations centred in the Kashmir Valley.
A senior party leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the latest developments had created "a sense of alienation" among the Jammu cadre.
The leader questioned whether organisational decisions could be effectively taken without seeking the views of senior functionaries and grassroots workers from Jammu.
The resentment has also acquired a lighter, sarcastic undertone among some Jammu-based leaders.
"Central leaders are enjoying the pleasant weather of Kashmir Valley while taking important organisational decisions, whereas Jammu-based leaders are left agitating in the humid weather," a party insider quipped.
The remark reflects the growing frustration within a section of the Jammu Congress over what it sees as an imbalance in the party's approach towards the two regions.
While the Congress leadership is expected to finalise the organisational structure soon, Jammu-based leaders are hoping that the party high command will take their concerns into consideration and ensure wider regional participation in future organisational decisions.
The developments come at a time when the Congress is seeking to strengthen its organisational machinery in Jammu and Kashmir and overcome factionalism within the party. Any perception of regional imbalance, party insiders believe, could further complicate efforts to rebuild the organisation and regain lost political ground in Jammu. |
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