NC leader Sajjad Shaheen, others urge party leadership to not surrender Banihal seat to Congress

Srinagar, Aug 24: Senior Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) leader from Banihal constituency Sajjad Shaheen Saturday said the JKNC-Congress alliance has put fear in the hearts and minds of his leaders and workers over the candidateship for the seat.

An emergency meet was held in Banihal, chaired by JKNC leaders Sajjad Shaheen and Dr. Shamshada Shan. The leaders and workers unanimously opposed the alliance with the Congress in Banihal.

Sajjad said that the alliance suggests that the former Congress chief of the region, Vikar Rasool would be given the mandate, and that, he said is unacceptable.

However, Sajjad said that things would only be cleared after the JKNC notifies the list of its candidates.

"The party has assured me that I will be given the mandate, however it would only be clear once the list is out," Sajjad said.

He said that Vikar was recently removed from the President's post for misappropriating funds designated for Bharat Jodo Yatra. "How can he be trusted and voted by my people," he asked.

He further said that how can they trust the Congress leader when he has given them no benefit for last decade.

They urged the party's top leadership to not to surrender the Banihal seat.

They said that the "alliance has slaughtered them politically and that their hard work for past two-decades will be washed out if the party goes on with the alliance in the constituency."