The efforts of the Congress to strengthen the organization in Jammu and Kashmir have suffered a setback. Senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad has refused to take over as the chairman of the state election campaign committee citing health reasons. But there are many other reasons for this. However, the party says that Azad will be persuaded. The main reason for Azad's displeasure is the reorganization of the organization without taking his opinion. His supporters are seeing the party's move as an attempt to reduce Azad's political influence. The party has appointed Vikar Rasool Wani as state president and Raman Bhalla as working president. This is the first time that both are from Jammu.
Ghulam Nabi Azad also belongs to Jammu. In such a situation, his supporters say that the party deliberately gave preference to the leaders of Jammu, so that Azad's influence is less. However, Vikar is believed to be Rasool Azad's trustee.With this, Azad feels that the post of the President of the State Campaign Committee is very small in comparison to his stature. Azad is a member of the Congress Working Committee as well as part of the Political Affairs Committee advising Congress President Sonia Gandhi. In such a situation, they feel that there is no point in being in the state committee. One of the reasons for their displeasure is that their opinion was not taken in the reorganization of the state committees.The grassroots leaders were ignored.
At the same time, Azad is also angry because of not taking him into confidence before the announcement of making him the chairman of the committee. Those close to him say that he should have been taken into confidence before the announcement. Those close to Azad also want the party to announce him as the chief ministerial candidate. Elections may be held in the state next year. A senior Congress leader said that Azad was discussed about the reorganization of the state Congress. The party is still in touch with Azad and he will be persuaded soon. Regarding the chief ministerial candidate, he said being the senior-most leader, Ghulam Nabi Azad was fully qualified for the post, but the decision would be taken in time.
Actually, Ghulam Nabi Azad is one of the disgruntled leaders of the party. The disgruntled leaders had written a letter to party president Sonia Gandhi in July 2020, making several demands. Azad was also a contender for the Rajya Sabha, but the party did not consider his candidature. However, the dissident faction has weakened in the past few months. Many leaders are no longer in this group.
