KL Report
SRINAGAR
Factionalism in National Conference took an ugly turn on Saturday during Budgam District President Elections when supporters of two leaders uprooted the posters of party president and manhandled each other.
Trouble started moments after Member of Legislative Council (MLC) and senior National Conference leader Ali Muhammd Dar was elected District president Budgam. The supporters of outgoing District President Advocate Shaheen Shafi alleged that Dar was not elected in a democratic manner these were not elections but a mere selection.
During the meeting, the supporters chanted anti party slogans and alleged that Party High Command selected Dar without conducting elections. The ruckus continued for over 20 minutes. Despite repeated appeals made by Ali Muhammad Dar, supporters of Shaheen and others present kept on manhandling each other. The NC workers uprooted photographs of Party president and hurled choicest abuses on each other. “District President is always elected and not selected,” one of the party workers shouted during the meeting.
A senior leader told workers that,”If any party worker has any grievance, he should raise it in a disciplined manner. Every worker’s grievance will be heard and redressed, but this kind of an act of indiscipline will not be tolerated at any cost.”
Advocate Shafi Shaheen told CNS that it was not election but selection. “I had supporters from Beerwah, Chararshairef, Khansahab and Budgam but still elections were not conducted and Dar was elected without taking the workers into confidence,” he said.
He further said that various party leaders like Abdul Ahad and others were mulling to contest elections but all of them changed their mind after it was revealed the Ali Muhammad Dar had been already elected District President by the High Command.
When contacted Ali Muhammad Dar told CNS that the situation turned ugly in the meeting because I was not ready to accept the post. “Some workers raised hue and cry and wanted me to accept the position of District presidentship. I came round to their views and pacified them,” Dar said adding that even outgoing District president Budgam Advocate Shafi Shaheen suggested my name for the post.
Another National Conference leader, Tariq Mohi-u-Din from Budgam told CNS that there were some sponsored workers who tried to disrupt the elections. “There was resentment against the re-election of Advocate Shaheen and all the workers persuaded Dar to act as District president,” Mohi-u-Din said.
Meanwhile, Advocate Shafi Shaheen called on CNS and said that he never said that it was selection and not election.
