Suhail Khan
Baramulla, August 28: With the NC-Congress alliance finalizing its candidates for the upcoming assembly elections, internal issues within the NC’s local units in multiple districts have become apparent. Disappointment among party leaders and workers has been steadily growing, leading some leaders to leave the party due to the unfavorable impact on their political careers.
Insiders from the NC party revealed to Kashmir Despatch that there are problems within the party’s units in two districts in the northern region of Kashmir. Some leaders are dissatisfied with the selected candidates, raising concerns about their own political futures.
Sources disclosed to Kashmir Despatch that the Baramulla NC unit has experienced internal discord since the party announced a ticket to Javeed Hussain Baig, who joined the party just six months ago after leaving the Syed Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party.
Ever since Baig’s name appeared on the candidate list, the Baramulla unit has been riddled with issues, according to sources. Senior party leader Ghulam Hassan Rahi, along with other senior leaders, expressed unhappiness with this decision and brought their concerns to the attention of the party’s top leadership.
Sources suggest that the problems in the Baramulla NC unit are intensifying, with some leaders and workers contemplating leaving the party in protest.
Top sources informed Kashmir Despatch that, along with Ghulam Hassan Rahi, Advocate Neelofar, the in-charge of the NC women’s wing in Baramulla, also feels sidelined.
To understand why the issues within the unit have escalated at such a crucial time, Kashmir Despatch spoke to NC workers in Baramulla.
The workers expressed discontent with the party’s top leadership, feeling that long-serving leaders dedicated to the party have been overlooked in favor of Javeed Hussain Beigh, who has been a member of the party for only six months.
The workers believe that this decision raises doubts not only about their favored leader but also about whether they should cast their votes for the NC.
Some workers also expressed concerns about how they can trust the party as regular workers when the seasoned leaders who have managed the party at the grassroots level for years are no longer present. This raises doubts about whether they will support the NC in the upcoming elections.
Who is Javeed Hussain Baig?
Javeed Hussain Baig, 58, holds significant influence in northern Kashmir and has been involved in politics from a young age, building a successful career with the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
As the nephew of former deputy CM Muzaffar Baig, Baig served as the representative for the Baramulla assembly constituency from 2014 to 2018.
Following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, Baig joined Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party. He was part of the delegation that met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah alongside Bukhari, marking the first outreach of Kashmiri leadership to the Centre after the abrogation of Article 370. However, Baig could not establish himself in the Apni Party and resigned last year.
In March this year, Baig joined the National Conference.
Why is Baig the NC’s candidate for these assembly elections?
The National Conference has faced challenges in winning the Baramulla seat, and the party repeatedly relied on Ghulam Hassan Rahi, but was unsuccessful in previous attempts. It is clear that the party had not found a suitable replacement figure until they chose Javeed Hussain Baig for the Baramulla seat.
The National Conference hopes that Baig’s candidacy will secure the Baramulla seat in the upcoming elections. Baig’s strong voter base and previous performance in the Baramulla and Sangrama assembly segments make him an attractive choice for the party.
However, political experts anticipate that Baig’s entry into the National Conference may pose challenges within the local party unit in Baramulla.
Meanwhile, similar waves of disappointment are being observed in the NC’s Bandipora unit since the announcement that the Congress party will contest the Bandipora seat in alliance with the NC.
A video circulating on social media shows NC Bandipora workers expressing anger, tearing banners of the party’s Vice President, Omar Abdullah, and voicing their displeasure over the party’s decision to allocate the Bandipora seat to the Congress.
As the upcoming assembly elections continue to heat up, new political developments occur on a daily basis. It remains to be seen whether the issues within the NC’s district units will escalate further or if a resolution will be reached.
