Last month party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar announced that the former CM of Jammu and Kashmir Farooq Abdullah had informed his colleagues about his decision to step down as the party president.
Dozens of National Conference workers and their leaders Sunday were at the party founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s mausoleum in the Hazratbal area making arrangements for the party presidential election on December 5. Dr. Farooq Abdullah is the current president but the party leaders are not sure whether he will contest or not.
The party has said anyone can contest the elections. In case, Dr. Abdullah and the party’s working president Omar Abdullah will not contest the polls, other contestants could be the party's senior leaders including Ali Mohd Sagar, and Abdul Rahim Rather. Sagar was personally inquiring about the arrangements on Sunday at the venue.
party’s senior leader Nasir Aslam Wani, who along with other party leaders was at Abdullah’s mausoleum on Sunday to hold talks with the party workers, told Outlook that the party is holding the election on December 5. He said he was not sure whether Farooq will contest.
Last month the party spokesperson Imran Nabi Dar announced, “Dr. Farooq Abdullah Sahib has informed his colleagues of his decision to step down as president of JKNC”. Dar said despite the best efforts by senior party colleagues to change his mind, Dr. Abdullah was adamant about sticking to his decision.
“In light of this sudden announcement which has caught everyone by surprise the party general secretary, as per the party constitution, has been tasked with conducting the election for party president which will be completed on Dec 5. Until that time Dr. Sahib continues as president of the party,” added Dar.
Dr Farooq Abdullah, who was touring Jammu, has been asking for the restoration of the statehood of Jammu and Kashmir.
“Maharaja Gulab Singh created Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh state. Jammu and Kashmir was not small state. General Zorawar Singh had taken it up to Tibet. But with great regret J&K was bifurcated and Ladakh was completely separated,” he said in one of his addresses, adding this time will not last. “Soon the time will come when Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh will unify again,” Farooq said.
He said National Conference never joined hands with Pakistan and it is proud of it. “When the tribals were at our doors (in 1947), we were a Muslim majority state, we could have joined Pakistan. Jinnah Sahab (Ali Muhammad Jinnah) had met my father telling him to join hands with him.”
“Today some people are telling me your father did wrong and he should have joined Pakistan (in 1947). They tell me about atrocities to which J&K is subjected. But I am assuring them this oppression will be over soon. We should be thankful we didn’t join Pakistan. See the situation there. Even the Prime Minister there fired bullets. People have no power there. See the contrast. Here people have all power,” he added.
On December 5, the party is observing the 117th birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. The party says that the story of the struggle for emancipation in J&K is inextricably woven into the life of Sheikh Sahib, who piloted it through a torturous course to its fulfilment.
In a statement here the party said, “Every hardship that came his way steeled his resolve not to submit to anyone and strengthened his faith in the supremacy of the moral force,” adding, “the vision and mission of the tallest of all Kashmiris, who rode the crest of the popular upsurge and grew out of the storm will continue to guide us.”
“In them we find various aspects of life distilled through his intimate experience and an undercurrent of a craving for the dignity of man. He, along with his numerous colleagues initiated a movement that aimed at affording all opportunities, and facilities to the toiling masses irrespective of religion or region. Our case continues to stand on that unique footing even today with an unchangeable claim to the restoration of people's dignity, and their democratic and constitutional rights,” the statement reads.