Srinagar:
The Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir is facing a severe infighting, prompting its high command to order an inquiry into indiscipline and anti-party activities.
Two senior leaders, Vikar Rasool Wani and Tara Chand, are leading the rival faction against state Congress president Tariq Hamid Karra. Wani, a Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former state president, has made serious allegations against Karra, accusing of “pursuing a separatist agenda, moving a proposal to introduce Pakistani currency in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir and misappropriation of election funds.”
Both Wani and Tara Chand were loyalists of Ghulam Nabi Azad, who resigned from the Congress in August 2022. Azad’s resignation had led to a major exodus of leaders from the state unit, and scores of leaders including Tara Chand had joined Azad.
After Azad’s regional party failed to take off, almost all the leaders who had left the party including Tara Chand joined back the Congress. Wani, however, didn’t join Azad and continued as president of the state Congress unit before Karra replaced him in 2024.
But the ties between the two were not cordial. The rival groups blame Karra for terming them as “deadwood and trusted”.
Wani told NDTV the inquiry ordered by the Congress high command is against both the factions. “It will investigate all the aspects. It is an inquiry against us as well as against Tariq Karra and Ghulam Ahmad Mir (Congress general secretary),” Vikar Rasool Wani said.
The Congress has formed a three-member panel to investigate the reports of indiscipline and alleged anti-party activities.
“Hon’ble Congress President has approved the proposal for the constitution of an Enquiry Committee to look into the reported indiscipline and anti-party activities in Jammu and Kashmir, as follows, with immediate effect,” KC Venugopal, Congress General Secretary, said in a statement.
The probe panel will be headed by Shaktisinh Gohil. Amar Singh and Rafeek Khan have been appointed as members of the panel. Earlier, the Congress high command had summoned senior leaders from the state including Ghulam Ahmad Mir, Tariq Hamid Karra, Raman Bhalla, Vikar Rasool Wani, and Tara Chand.
According to reports, leaders were strictly asked to maintain discipline within the party and desist from mudslinging. Party insiders say the internal rivalry within the Congress in Jammu and Kashmir is more damaging than external opposition.
