Congress workers in Kashmir are pointing fingers at Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) President Tariq Hameed Karra for the party’s dismal performance in the recently concluded Assembly elections.
Congress District President Srinagar Imtiyaz Khan, who contested as an independent candidate from Eidgah Constituency and finished fourth, has accused Karra of bias and double standards.
Khan alleged that Karra has singled him out and defamed him after he contested the elections as an independent candidate. He also criticized Karra’s leadership style, saying he has ego issues and is not worker-friendly. Khan claimed that Karra has directed workers not to visit the Congress headquarters in Srinagar.
Furthermore, Khan revealed that during the assembly elections, Karra instructed his workers in Eidgah to vote for the PDP candidate, despite being in an alliance with the National Conference.
Imtiyaz Khan also accused Karra of promoting his family members, stating that his workers attend meetings of not only Karra but also Khurshid Aalam.
Khan labeled Karra a turncoat, highlighting his frequent party changes, from National Conference to ANC, then PDP, and now Congress. He questioned the allocation of Congress tickets, asking why Central Kashmir received only one ticket, which went to Karra himself, while South and North Kashmir received three each.
Meanwhile, the Congress leaders in Srinagar have unanimously passed a resolution holding Karra responsible for the party’s poor performance. The resolution cited factors such as Karra’s appointment after election notification, unfamiliarity with Congress culture, and distribution of election tickets in collaboration with other parties, including the PDP.
A seven-member fact-finding committee has been constituted by Karra to investigate the poll debacle in Jammu and suggest measures to strengthen the party . However, this move may be seen as an attempt to deflect criticism, as Congress leaders demand action from Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, with copies of the resolution sent to Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. [KNT]
