In yet another jolt to the ruling National Conference in Ganderbal, former chief secretary, MLC and its senior leader Shiekh Ghulam Rasool resigned from the party. Shiekh is likely to join Peoples’ Democratic Party within a few days, sources told KNS.In his resignation letter, addressed to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who is also working president of the NC, Sheikh said, “As the party affairs in Ganderbal have deteriorated and people alienated I could not accept the party mandate to contest election in Ganderbal offered by Dr Farooq and you through senior party leaders few days back.”
The former NC leader, in the letter, a copy of which lies with KNS, has expressed his disappointment over being ignored by the National Conference during its last six years. “During your stewardship of past six years, I again did not get occasion even of consultative nature either in state affairs or in Ganderbal matters, organizational or administrative. I however discharged my functions as MLC by close contact with the people of Ganderbal and field workers of party by intensive and regular tour and mass contact,” Sheikh said.
He added that he is of the considered opinion that it is time for him to disassociate himself completely from the party. “Accordingly I resign from the primary membership of the party and as a member of the central working committee,” reads the resignation letter.Meanwhile, Sheikh told KNS over phone that his services were ‘out rightly’ ignored by the party leadership during the last 20 years and that the ‘perturbed’ situation in the Ganderbal region is paving way for the win of the PDP candidate Qazi Mohammad Afzal from NC’s bastion. “PDP has very bright chances of winning Ganderbal. The region is aghast against what this regime has done to it,” he said.Sources told KNS Sheikh is about to announce his formal entry in PDP in a few days. The PDP, they said, is also keen to accord special position to Sheikh.