NC, Congress set to take separate routs for 2014 elections

Srinagar: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s fresh statement on pre-poll alliances has triggered a debate in the state with both the coalition partners accusing each other of breaching the trust.
Congress President in the State Prof. Saif ud din Soz may find it pre mature by now to completely rule out the possibility of forming a pre poll alliance with National conference, however ever since he was reappointed as PCC Chief, Soz has been hinting that Congress may switch its loyalty to form the next govt. in the state in 2014. “We will definitely hold our priorities supreme while taking any decision with regard to pre-poll arrangement.” Soz told news agency on Friday. He added that the PCC would hold a meeting and convey its suggestions to the Party High command which he said, was the final authority to take a final call in this regard.
Meanwhile NC additional Gen. Secretary Dr. Mustafa Kamal while endorsing Chief Minster’s statement said that the Party sentiment was against the relations with Congress which he said, was even discussed in the recently held Core group meet.
“NC is a cadre based party and our cadres are not happy with this alliance.” Kamal told. He however quickly added that the decision has to be taken by the high command only.
“I have been saying it from day one that this is an opportunistic party and they have proved it again.” Kamal said with an obvious reference to Congress. Ridiculing Union Minster Jairam Ramesh’s controversial statement on Kashmir, the firebrand NC leader said, “It seems the elections of 2002 were manipulated by the spy agencies and the GOI.” He also added that Shadow on the pre-poll alliance had been cast immediately after the hanging of Afzal Guru against the reservations of Chief Minster. He said that the current alliance was the ‘coalition of Compulsion”.
“We were left with no option other than to revisit our plans of entering into a pre-poll alliance as the sentiment of Party Cadres is not in favor of it especially in the aftermath of Afzal Guru hanging.” Said Kamal. He however maintained that the present coalition would last its full term.
Kamal refused to accept that Congress has emerged as an influential party in the state, saying they have been surviving with the NC support.
Meanwhile Mustafa Kamal did not rule out possibility of contesting the forthcoming Local Bodies elections jointly, saying the elections are just for the formation of corporations and NC had one time even formed an alliance with Awama Action committee in 1980. “This has nothing to do with the 2014 elections. We may see both the parties contesting the local bodies elections jointly.” Kamal said.