The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress on Friday issued show cause notices to several party leaders who filed nomination papers as independent candidates for the assembly elections for violating the alliance unity. A Jammu and Kashmir Congress spokesperson said the party has taken note of the violation of alliance unity by individual leaders.
He said that the party has sought clarification from these leaders within three days, failing which strict disciplinary action will be taken against them.
Following the seat-sharing between the National Conference (NC) and the Congress, several Congress leaders, including Ganderbal district president Sahil Farooq, have filed nomination papers as independent candidates for the assembly elections. Farooq is contesting against NC vice-president Omar Abdullah from the Ganderbal assembly constituency.
Leaders got angry with the alliance
The alliance was chalked out by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi along with NC president Farooq Abdullah and vice-president Omar Abdullah. Later, the seat-sharing arrangement was also finalised by senior party leaders.
However, this alliance was not liked by some of the party leaders and workers, especially those who wanted to contest on the party ticket, forcing them to rebel and contest as independents.
At least a dozen Congress leaders are contesting the elections as independents against NC-Congress alliance candidates in the Kashmir Valley.
These leaders showed rebellious attitude
In Srinagar, five Congress leaders, including district president Imtiyaz Khan, general secretary Waseem Shalla, former SMC councillor Asif Begh, DDC Khomoh (Srinagar outskirts) Manzoor Ahmed and Congress member Irfan Shah are contesting as independents.
In Bandipora district, former Congress member Ismail Khan Ashana is contesting as an independent candidate against the Congress candidate. Similarly, in Anantnag West, the party’s youth leader Asif Ahmed is contesting against former Jammu and Kashmir Congress president Pirzada Sayeed.
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