Cong keeps options open for pre-poll alliance

Tribune News Service

Jammu, December 10

The Congress, it seems, have kept a window open for entering into a pre-poll alliance for the next Assembly elections despite the fact that their previous post-poll alliance partner National Conference hasn’t shown any interest in it.

J&K Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Ghulam Ahmed Mir said though they want to strengthen the party, but “let us see what happens in the next five months”.

Talking to the media at the party headquarters here after addressing a meeting of leaders, Mir said, “We didn’t have any pre-poll alliance after 1987 in the state and fought every election on our own. At the national level, like-minded parties are coming together with the Congress. Even the regional parties are being given a national platform. As far as J&K is concerned, we are working to strengthen our party.”

Commenting on the exit poll results of four states where the party’s prospects are looking good, he said, “After the 2014 debacle, when people gave huge mandate to the BJP, Rahul Gandhi’s introspection has been appreciable. He is now talking about women, farmers and youth. At that time, the gap was quite big, but now there is not much difference. This is what the exit polls are suggesting.”

“In the next five months, this difference will disappear and Rahul Gandhi will emerge as an accepted youth leader,” Mir added.

He also expressed apprehensions of the BJP’s plan of rotating the Assembly seats reserved for the scheduled caste. “Though they are overdue, the issue needs political consensus. If the rotation is forced on areas where the population ratio is not as per the rules, it will not be good.”

The JKPCC president also took on the BJP for raising the temple issue only during the elections. “Despite being in power for four and a half years, sincere efforts were not made to build the Ram temple,” Mir added.