SRINAGAR: The Congress leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have authorised the party high command to nominate the J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (J&KPCC) chief, after G A Mir stepped down from the post to pave way for a change in guard ahead of the Assembly polls in the Union Territory.
A senior J&K Congress leader said party leaders from J&K, including Mir, working president Raman Bhalla, ex-deputy CM Tara Chand and others met Congress general secretary K C Venogopal, Ambika Soni and Ghulam Nabi Azad in New Delhi on Wednesday to discuss the current political situation in J&K.
Mir had been at the helm of affairs since 2014, with the party failing to fare well during his tenure in the Assembly polls. He himself lost the parliamentary elections from Anantnag Lok Sabha seat in 2019 and the party performed dismally in the first-ever DDC election in 2020.
A Congress leader said the cadre has assured that it would extend full support to the new J&KPCC chief.
Sources in Congress party said Vikar Rasool, who is a former minister, is the top favourite to replace Mir, as he is acceptable to all and is also close to former J&K Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. The first-ever Assembly polls in J&K Union Territory is likely to be held by the end of this year.
Win Kashmiri hearts, Abdullah tells Centre
Srinagar: A day after militants shot dead an ASI and injured two other policemen, NC president Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday said, “Their (BJP) ministers and other leaders issue statements repeatedly that it has ended, but this will not end till you do not try to win the hearts of the people of Kashmir.”