M A I N   N E W S

Azad to lead Cong in RS, Sharma is dy leader
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 8
With an eye on the Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress today nominated former state Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad as its leader in the Rajya Sabha where it is a potential force with the strength of 68 MPs.

Ghulam Nabi Azad

Anand Sharma

The move paves the way for Azad to become the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha. He will be the second Muslim politician to be the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, the first being BJP's Sikander Bakth in 1992. From the Congress, Azad is the first Muslim leader to gain such elevation in the Upper House.

Former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, who represents Himachal in the Rajya Sabha, will be Congress' Deputy Leader in the House following the decision by party president Sonia Gandhi who struck a North-South balance within the Congress which had last week nominated Karnataka MP Mallikarjun Kharge its Leader in the Lok Sabha. Though the name of party veteran AK Antony was doing the rounds for the position in the RS, Congress strategists had indicated earlier that leaders in both the Houses would not be from the South.

With today's nominations of Azad and Anand Sharma, the north has come to gain prominence in Congress' leadership in Parliament. While Azad, former Health Minister who just lost the Lok Sabha election in Udhampur, represents J&K, Capt Amarinder Singh, Congress' Deputy Leader in the Lok Sabha, represents Punjab and Anand Sharma, party's deputy chief in the House of Elders represents Himachal Pradesh.

The Congress has through today's nominations sent a reassuring message to minorities - having elevated Azad and Singh in the two Houses. Capt Amarinder, former Punjab CM, is the first Sikh to become Congress' Deputy Leader in Lok Sabha; Azad being the first Muslim to become Congress' leader in the Rajya Sabha.

"The move will help send a positive message to Muslims who seem to have strayed away from us in the just concluded polls,” said a party source.