Custodial Death: Omar In Pain, Congress Eyes Gain

Custodial death of National Conference worker, Syed Mohammad Yousuf has fuelled the sleeping aspirations of not only the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir but also the friend and ally, Congress. The alliance partner of Abdullah’s National Conference seems to be allying with the PDP of Mehbooba Mufti, although, covertly, in keeping Chief Minister Omar Abdullah in discomfort. As the plot is thickening over the death of Syed Yousuf after Abdullah Junior handed him over to police, the Congress leaders of Kashmir have begun to romanticize their brightening prospects anticipating the downfall of their ally and friend in state politics. Even the political observers in the
state feel that the Congress could be the real beneficiary of the ongoing crisis, which got worsened on Saturday morning, when Omar Abdullah’s police resorted to baton charge the PDP protestors demanding his resignation. The separatists, too, have joined Mehbooba Mufti in baying for Omar’s blood.

Now, consider this. Omar Abdullah will be completing his half tenure of six years in first week of January next year giving the Congress an opportunity to think of taking the relay baton from an alienated chief minister, though the two parties are not at an agreement of transfer of power like the one that the congress had with the PDP in the previous regime. The great opportunist party, that the congress is, will not shy away from making things practically unworkable for Omar Abdullah. And, if the signals emerging from both the Congress headquarters and the stakeholders in the Jammu and Kashmir politics are to be believed, the party is well on its course.

The only thing that is perhaps withholding the Congressmen from the valley from speaking their minds out is Rahul Gandhi’s personal friendship with Omar Abdullah and the former’s apparent commitment to the latter to keep intact his chair till the very last workable situation in the state. But, during his recent visit to the valley, Rahul Gandhi had give a patient hearing to Congress leaders wishing for a change of guard in Srinagar.

Notwithstanding, some of the state Congress leaders have started openly demanding a Congress chief minister in Jammu and Kashmir post-January, 2012 subject to approval by party president, Sonia Gandhi. This demand had begun as early as in May and June this year, when state Congress leaders asked for rotation of Chief Minister’s chair as they were unhappy with Omar capturing all the limelight with Congressmen being treated only as poor cousins in the corridors of power in the state. And, senior leaders including Dr Karan Singh, Saifuddin Soz and Makhan Lal Fotedar had assured the junior leaders of conveying their sentiments to the party high command in New Delhi. The views have come to take deeper grounds now in party headquarters and lobbying is underway to convince the top leadership to think on those lines and negotiate with the Abdullahs.

Also at work are two old camps of J&K Congress, namely those of union minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and J&K PCC president Saifuddin Soz with former in being favour at the 10, Janpath. Soz supporters find a realistic chance for him to get the coveted seat in Srinagar, but sources also indicate strongly that Azad may be interested in the job if hints come from the top. This internal tussle for supremacy in Srinagar may prove beneficial for Omar Abdullah but then PDP is also, according to sources close to Mehbooba Mufti, ready to support a Congress government should National Conference be dumped. So, the Congress is weighing its options while Omar tries hard to save his chair and salvage his image and re-enforce his command in the state. The political situation in Jammu and Kashmir looks tailor-made for a Congress comeback lest Omar finds a magic wand to ward off all the ‘evil’ forces.