Putting his party in election mode, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Sunday asked the National Conference (NC) cadres to brace-up for 2014 Lok Sabha and state assembly polls. "You should keep this enthusiasm and feeling alive because now the time for the test is coming. This is the last year to make this party strong as 2014 is the election year. First the Parliamentary elections, then the state assembly elections," Omar said addressing workers at the party headquarters Nawa-e-Subah complex here. The function was marked to felicitate the former Minister of State for Home and Tourism, Nasir Aslam Wani, who was recently nominated party's provincial president for Kashmir region. Omar said the party needs to be ready for the elections to ensure success and take the state forward. "We have to make our party ready so that we win the next elections with good success and take this state forward," Omar told workers. He said the recent changes in the party will infuse new life in to it which will benefit its workers. "You will see this party in a new face, with new enthusiasm. A new life will be enthused into the party and Nawa-e-Subah and new activities will take place which will benefit the party workers," he said. Omar said more efforts will be made to address the aspirations of party workers, adding ministers should also take the workers into confidence before any work is done. "I know even now there are expectations from our workers. Their problems will be sorted out and their demands will be fulfilled. No work should happen without party workers. No tour or programme of a minister should happen without party workers," he said. He said, "If a minister goes for some government function, then after the programme, it is important that he talks to workers of the area, listens to their problems and redress them on spot." On the occasion, Omar requested the party leaders to work for the party and cooperate with the new team. "I request my senior leaders that they cooperate with Nasir (Aslam Wani). If they really mean that they are nothing without party, which is easier said than done," Omar said. "We can say that we are nothing without the party, but can we really show it?" he questioned them. Omar said NC is a party which believes in giving the first priority to the party and its workers. Omar lauded Wani for leaving the council of ministers and work for the party. "He (Wani) did not complain when he did not remain a minister. He said the party comes first, then the government," Omar told workers. Omar said the road before the new provincial president would not be an easy one and expressed hope that he would come up to the expectations of the party patron Farooq Abdullah and the workers.
He said the new team of NC should utilize remaining time in strengthening the party and roping-in the annoyed faces so that maximum seats could be bagged in 2014 polls. “There are many people who have NC in their hearts but have distanced themselves from the party. A serious effort should be done to ensure their homecoming,” he said.
He said power was never the priority for the party. “I can’t make a long speech following the jubilant crowd here. But some things are very important. Some (former) ministers proved that power was not their priority but the party was,” Omar said.
NC working president said the party was formed by his grandfather Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah when he was not in power. “History bears testimony to the fact that NC has become stronger when out of power,” Omar said.
Expressing satisfaction over Nasir’s new job as NC provincial president, Omar said he was quite satisfied with the intelligence of his colleague. “I have worked with him (Nasir) in the party, in the government and now I am again going to work with him in the party. I will continue to support him and try to make myself available for him so that the party gets strengthened,” Omar said.
The Chief Minister accompanied Nasir to the office chamber of NC provincial president and wished him the luck.
Speaking on the occasion, Nasir said he was proud to be designated as the provincial president of NC. “This is a moment of pride for me as I have been assigned a job of a party formed by J&K’s tallest leader,” he said.
The former MoS Home said some people were annoyed with the party. “My job will be to bring back all the annoyed faces of the party and to address their grievances,” he said. Nasir urged the Chief Minister to conduct early Block Development Council polls and to keep due share from the 80,000 vacancies to be filled soon in government. Senior NC leaders Muhammad Akbar Lone, Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Nazir Gurezi, Sajjad Ahmad Kichloo, Ali Muhammad Dar, Peer Afaq, Dr Shehnaz Ganai, Dr Bashir Ahmed Veeri were also present on the occasion. Rural Development Minister Ali Muhammad Sagar could not attend the function due to ill health while Finance Minister Abdur Rahim Rather was busy in Jammu. NC spokesman Tanvir Sadiq, former mayor Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) Salman Sagar also attended the function.