Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): After losing two parliament seats thrice in a row in Jammu against the BJP, Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir is facing another jolt as dozens of its leaders are revolting against incumbent president Vikar Rasool and are demanding his removal for "ruining the party" in the Union Territory.
The leaders have shot four letters to the All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge and Congress Working Committee. In these letters, accessed by ETV Bharat, the leaders have accused Vikar Rasool of "ruining the party, sidelining senior leaders, creating factionalism and creating an unprecedented situation for the smooth functioning of the party."
The first letter was shot to Kharge by these leaders on May 7 by the party leaders in which they highlighted the "unprecedented situation" in the party and "ignoring office bearers" by incumbent president Vikar Rasool and held him responsible for "ruining the party".
The second letter was shot by the leaders to Congress Working Committee member Tariq Karra where they raised the issue of "ignoring" district presidents and not consulting them during visits by the president in their areas.
On May 30, the third letter was sent to Kharge by former MLA Sopore, Haji Rashid, who was made AICC coordinator for parliamentary elections campaign.
Rashid, who is the senior vice president of PCC, said that he was "sidelined" by Wani during parliamentary elections campaigning and not consulted during a single election campaign meeting.
The fourth letter was shot to Kharge on June 2 by eight general secretaries, three vice presidents, three secretaries
and a district president who mentioned the "unprecedented situation contrary to norms and discipline" created by Vikar with the party.
Speaking to ETV Bharat Vikar Rasool said that he has replied to the AICC president about the allegations leveled by some party functionaries in the letters.
"The letters and accusations leveled against me in these letters are sent by those leaders who worked against INDI alliance partner National Conference during the elections. Congress did not contest elections in Kashmir so how could these leaders and officer bearers have been sidelined," he told ETV Bharat.
Bharatsinh Solanki, AICC incharge of JK PCC, told ETV Bharat that he will look into the issue and convey to the AICC leadership the concerns of the JK leaders.
Vikar was appointed Pradesh Congress Committee in August 2022 after taking over from former minister Ghulam Ahmad Mir. The former legislator from Banihal was considered close to former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad but he chose PCC over Azad's new fledgling party.
Political observers said that PCC's political history in Jammu and Kashmir is riddled with groupism where factions always conspired against the party presidents.
Observers pointed out the Congress' era in Kashmir is riddled with factionalism and it still persists within the party. It began with the first PCC Ghulam Muhammad Sadiq and did not end until Ghulam Ahmad Mir was the president and majority of the senior leaders revolted against him including former PCC president Saif-u-din Soz.
Congress insiders said that factionalism was aggravated when former minister Ghulam nabi Azad was appointed as PCC president. They said that the party leaders in Jammu and Kashmir spend much of their time in creating factions and conspiracies against the presidents rather than strengthening the party on the ground.
