Senior Congress leader GhulamNabi Azad on Saturday hinted that he would devote more time to J&K to strengthen the party in the State, ahead of the next Assembly election, party leaders said.
Congress insiders said that Azad held a series of meetingwith party leaders from Jammu at his official residence in the winter capital.The state Congress president GA Mir attended the meetings.
“Several senior leaders from Jammu, Kathua, Samba, andUdhampur district were summoned in the morning and discussions were held onstrengthening the party at the grassroots level,” said a Congress leader, whoattended the meeting. Azad also chaired separate meetings with leaders fromRajouri and Poonch districts and those from Chenab valley, while detaileddeliberations were held with over 100 party members from all the assemblyconstituencies of the districts.
The party leader said Azad, leader of opposition inRajyaSabha and former J&K Chief Minister, indicated that he would devotemore time to Jammu and Kashmir. “He may return to Jammu and Kashmir for atleast four months after the end of monsoon session of Parliament,” the Congressleader said.
“The Congress leadership is seriously working on a plan torevive the party in J&K and form the next government. They have sent Azadsahib to look after the party affairs, and more importantly to end lobbyism,”said the party leader.
During the meeting, some of the Congress members suggestedof giving equal importance to Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh divisions if the partywants to revive itself in the State, said the Congress leader.
Another senior Congress leader said the AICC has made itsmind to “specially” depute Azad to J&K to strengthen the party in theState, ahead of the next Assembly elections.
During the meeting, emphasis was given on starting publiccontact campaign in all assembly constituencies.