by Syed Shadab Ali Gillani
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir unit of the Congress party on Tuesday indicated a possible shift in its electoral approach, with senior leadership acknowledging internal differences over alliance strategy and growing support among workers to contest future elections independently.
The development came during a Congress Convention held in Srinagar to formally welcome Dr Nasir Hussain, All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, on his first visit to Kashmir in this capacity. The event was attended by JKPCC President Tariq Hameed Karra, Working President Raman Bhalla, Pirzada Mohammad Saeed, Indian Youth Congress National President Uday Bhanu, and other AICC secretaries and senior leaders from across the region.
Addressing the gathering, AICC General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir said the 2024 general election outcomes had triggered serious introspection within the party. He acknowledged that many party workers had expressed a preference for going solo in the upcoming polls. During his speech, Mir directly asked the attending members if they supported contesting independently, to which a large section stood in agreement. The gesture led to renewed calls for the Congress to assert its political identity in Jammu and Kashmir without alliances.
Mir said the party must now prepare for all upcoming electoral events, including municipal, panchayat, and District Development Council (DDC) elections, as well as the possibility of an early dissolution of the current Assembly. He stressed that full organisational readiness was necessary, and the Congress must position itself as a principal political option for the people of the region, especially because of unmet promises related to statehood and governance.
Clarifying the current organisational framework, the leadership reminded members that on August 16, 2024, the party’s national leadership appointed Tariq Hameed Karra as JK Congress President and named Raman Bhalla and Tara Chand as Working Presidents. Any designations issued before that date, such as vice president or district president, were declared invalid unless formally reappointed. Members using outdated titles without authorisation were warned to stop doing so, as it contravenes party protocol.
Mir also said that all organisational posts below the current leadership will be reviewed and restructured in consultation with the AICC. Until the new Pradesh and Block Congress Committees are finalised and ratified, no individual should claim unauthorised designations or issue statements on behalf of the party.
On broader political issues, the Congress leadership criticised the central government for failing to fulfil its promise of restoring full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Despite repeated assurances in Parliament and on the campaign trail that statehood would be reinstated after Assembly elections, no progress has been made, even nine months later. The leadership said this continuing delay keeps the people of J&K disenfranchised.
Referring to the April 22 attack in Pahalgam, Congress leaders described it as a serious strike on the region’s social fabric and economic stability. They noted that people from all religious communities had responded in unity, resisting any attempt to create communal divisions. However, they said the central government failed to acknowledge or reward this display of solidarity.
To focus national attention on regional concerns, a proposal was put forward to hold a dedicated session of the Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Jammu and Kashmir. The proposed session would raise key issues such as land rights, employment, youth welfare, and constitutional protections, which residents of the former state have been demanding be restored.
The party leadership urged the rank and file to prepare for future polls on their own strength, guided by Congress values and its constitutional vision. “Whether it is statehood or elections, this is not just about political strategy; it is about restoring the dignity and rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
