Jammu, March 27
After about two years dissidents in the state unit of the Congress have won their battle against the PCC chief, Mohammad Shai Qureshi. The AICC President, Ms Sonia Gandhi, today decided to install Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad as new PCC President in place of Mr Qureshi.
“Now the party will be controlled by a politician and not by a Governor,” was the comment of a senior party leader, Mr Taj Mohiuddin while supporting the appointment of Mr Azad as the new PCC chief. He said: “We fought for the removal of Mr Qureshi not because we had anything personal against him. We wanted him out because he was behaving like a Governor.”
Inside reports said during the past five months the AICC leadership had not succeeded in picking up a candidate, who could be acceptable to the two sides, for the post of President of the PCC. Two things weighed in favour of Mr Azad.
First, a majority of dissidents had, of late cast their lot with Mr Azad. Mr Azad too had started openly favouring those who wanted Mr Qureshi to be replaced, though he himself was not willing to head the PCC in the troubled Jammu and Kashmir which could mean a sort of a demotion. As AICC General Secretary Mr Azad had a bigger role to perform than he would be able to do now.
Second, some senior AICC leaders had already conveyed to Ms Gandhi that over the years Mr Azad had been responsible for encouraging groupism in the PCC because he wanted to retain his hold on the organisation in his home state.
The AICC leadership had summoned a senior party leader, Mr Mangat Ram Sharma, to Delhi. It is learnt that in the past five days he again confronted Ms Gandhi with details of omission and commission of Mr Qureshi who was also being blamed for recommending Mr Madan Lal Sharma for the party ticket for the Jammu Lok Sabha seat which the Congress had lost. Filed reports had reached AICC headquarter that had Mr Mangat Ram Sharma been fielded the Congress would have won.
Mr Azad is known for his capacity to run an organisation. He knows the pulse of each senior party leader and may be in a position to keep the Congress flock together provided he does not resort to his old game of divide and rule.
However, as head of the PCC, Mr Azad will have to face one embarrassing situation. As a close friend of the Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, who supported him in getting elected to the Rajya Sabha five years ago, it will be difficult for him to adopt strong anti-Farooq postures.
