The Congress leadership in Jammu and Kashmir has failed to build party cadre in the state after a new president Vikar Rasool Wani was appointed last year. The party leaders blame the president and the state in charge Rajni Patil for grand old party’s downfall.
Many of the senior leaders, according to party insiders, who are aware of party set-up and it’s functioning have been sidelined and a whole lot of newcomers have been given positions in the organisation. A party insider said, “Vikar has kept all those people around him who don’t know much about politics. By this, it has become easy for him to reign. Also senior leaders don’t want to be in his company for they are politically cultured and find him disrespectful and insolent. And such behaviour is the major reason why they have been keeping away from him.”
The party leaders also claim that there is no spokesperson in Kashmir and therefore no connect with the media. This has thoroughly reduced the connection with the public. Moreover, there are several leaders, the Sunday Guardian reporter has talked to, and claiming that the state president Vikar Rasool Wani and state In-charge Rajni Patil are least bothered about fixing the cadre. The lack of communication is also seen to have impaired relationship between important leaders throwing the cadre into haywire.
Moreover, there have been frequent allegations against the party chief of involving in corruption. Some even say that the state in charge Rajni Patel and Wani have been hand in glove in benefiting each other putting the party needs at bay. A senior Congress leader who sought anonymity said, “The feedback of Wani not doing well does not reach the high command because of the Incharge (Rajni Patil) being on her side. Party is scattered and nothing seems to be bothering these two people. Why the office in Kashmir is almost closed? Why isn’t Congress functioning in the valley? Why they are helping each other only? What benefits do they derive from each other?”
Although Congress leaders blame Patil of having RSS background guiding her to impede the progress of the grand old party in the valley. The political observers reject the argument and emphasize the inability of the central leadership to mark out potential leaders who can work for the party as leaders and act responsibly in building the party cadre. A senior leader said, “Both the leaders are incompetent and less valued by the rank and file of the state.”
A political analyst said, “ The party has multiple power centres (high command) confusing the responsibility of each at the top. There is Rahul Gandhi, there is Priyanka Gandhi, there is Sonia Gandhi, and there is Malikarjun Kharge. So everyone usually runs away from taking the responsibility of failures and thinks the other will make amends. In reality nobody has been doing it. Now people who have been given responsibility of states do not actually know who to actually approach in times of problems. And if they do reach out to someone, let’s assume they reach out to Kharge, there would be lobbying from leaders close to other top leaders (Gandhis).