SRINAGAR: With the Congress set to replace its Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Ghulam Ahmed Mir, the loyalists of Ghulam Nabi Azad have amplified their demand that the former chief minister be declared as the party’s CM candidate ahead of the Assembly polls in J&K.
The Assembly election in J&K is likely to be held later this year after the revision of electoral rolls in October. Congress leader and former MLC, Ghulam Nabi Monga said Azad is acceptable to people in Jammu as well as Kashmir.
“People still recall his good governance when he was the CM. He has a clean image,” said Monga, an ex-senior vice president of J&K Congress.
Azad has a support base in Doda, Kishtwar, Poonch and Rajouri districts of Jammu province, besides some influence in the main Jammu district. Monga said if Azad is named as the CM candidate, it will definitely increase the party’s chances of winning the polls.
Another Congress leader and Azad loyalist echoed the demand, saying, “He can unify the party and increase its winning chances. The party needs to take a quick decision so that he can start preparations for the elections.”
Pointing out that the Congress is currently a divided party in J&K, he added, “It is a directionless party now and needs a person like Azad who can unify the party and rejuvenate the demoralised cadres,” he added.
Another Congress leader Mohammad Amin Bhat had said earlier that Congress is zero without Azad in J&K.
Meanwhile, state Congress president G A Mir has resigned from the post to pave the way for the restructuring of the party in the Union Territory.
"It is the tradition in the Congress party that before any reshuffle, the existing office-bearers put in their papers. I have done the same," Mir told PTI on Wednesday.
He said he submitted his resignation to party president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday.
Mir, who was the JKPCC chief for over seven years, dismissed reports that infighting within the party unit was the reason for his resignation.
"It is up to the Congress president to appoint the new PCC chief. There is no question of infighting (being the reason for resignation)," he said.
(With PTI Inputs)