Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hamid Karra on Tuesday played down discontent within the party ranks over its alliance with the National Conference, saying that it should not be viewed with “too much intensity”.
He asserted that no decision has been taken so far on the future of the alliance, even as party leaders raised concerns before the high command.
Karra, who on Tuesday led the Congress leaders in naming the party’s Jammu headquarters as Rajiv Bhawan, said that a section of the public believes that Congress might have performed better electorally had it contested independently.
“As far as any decision on the matter (NC-Congress alliance) is concerned, Rahul-ji has not discussed anything about it so far. If required, the matter will be brought before the executive committee for discussion, but as of now there is no such move or plan,” he told reporters here.
Karra said the criticism of the alliance should not be viewed “with too much intensity”, clarifying that discussions on it emerged during an interaction between Rahul Gandhi and district presidents from Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab during a recent 10-day training programme for them in April.
“When Rahul-ji visited the workshop in Himachal Pradesh on April 30, he interacted separately with district presidents from different states and asked them about the difficulties they were facing in taking the organisation forward,” Karra said.
He said district presidents from Jammu and Kashmir conveyed concerns that the kind of support expected from alliance partners was “not forthcoming”.
“They expressed their opinions and suggestions. We will also speak to them at our own level and try to understand the issues. If required, the matter will be brought before the executive committee for discussion,” he said.
Karra, however, maintained that no formal discussion has taken place with Rahul Gandhi regarding any decision on ending or reviewing the alliance.
“We too will speak to these people (Congress leaders) at our own level and try to understand the issues. If needed, the matter will be brought before the coalition committee for discussion,” he said.
The remarks come amid reports of widening differences between Congress and the National Conference in the Union Territory.
“This has been a matter of discussion for quite some time, whether we suffered losses or not. But the public perception is that if the Congress had contested the elections on its own, perhaps the results would have been better. This is the public perception,” he said.
Earlier, Jammu District Rural Congress president Neeraj Kundan had claimed that around 19 district presidents from Jammu and Kashmir, during a recent meeting at Kangra in Himachal Pradesh, urged the party high command to reconsider the alliance with the National Conference, alleging repeated “betrayals” and violation of coalition spirit.
Kundan had pointed out to non-formation of the coordination committee promised by the National Conference after the Assembly elections, reflecting the “continued sidelining” of Congress leadership in Jammu and Kashmir.
He further alleged that the alliance partner had failed to adequately support Congress on key issues, including the demand for restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
