Congress leader unhappy with party for conceding Ganderbal seat to NC

Ganderbal, Sep 03: Congress leader and District President Sahil Farooq has expressed unhappiness over his party’s decision to concede the Ganderbal assembly seat to alliance partner National Conference (NC).

He wants a friendly contest between Congress and NC in the constituency. Sahil has urged his party leadership to re-consider the decision and said he will contest as an independent candidate if his plea is not responded till Tuesday evening.

Talking to Greater Kashmir, the Congress District President Ganderbal said that it is disheartening to see that that his party leadership has take a decision not to field its own local candidate from Ganderbal and conceded the seat to an outside candidate.

Sahil Farooq said that he wants a friendly contest between NC and Congress in Ganderbal for the party’s existence and image. “If we can fight a friendly contest on five seats, why not in Ganderbal as well? I am willing to contest the elections under the party's banner if a friendly contest between the Congress and NC is permitted in the Ganderbal constituency similar to the arrangements in other constituencies,” Sahil Farooq said.

He, however, added that if his party does not allow such a contest, he will consider running as an independent candidate, though he will remain a loyal Congress worker. “ I have urged the party leadership to consider my and workers reques. If the party failed to respond by Tuesday evening I will contest as an independent candidate. Even then I will remain a loyal and dedicated Congress party,” he said.

Sahil Farooq alleged that Ganderbal has always been kept out of the decision-making process with outsiders often being imposed on the constituency "Why is Ganderbal always forced to accept outsiders? Our local leaders have never been given a fair chance,” he said.

National Conference has fielded Omar Abdullah from Ganderbal, while PDP its local leader Bashir Ahmed Mir. DPAP has fielded local leader Qaisar Sultan and Apni Party Er Qazi.