Anticipating trifurcation of Peoples Democratic Party ahead of 2014 elections, Provincial President National Conference Mr Devender Singh Rana on Wednesday said that the process has already begun with its senior functionaries deserting the party as was predicted by him a year back.“PDP is suffering from crisis of faith with its patron publicly sending wavering signals”, Mr Rana said at a function held at Sher-e-Kashmir Bhavan this afternoon held to welcome new entrants from Bajalta area into the party fold.“Mufti is a classic case of political opportunism, who feels proud in tracing his roots to Congress, proclaims having liking for Bharatya Janata Party and pretending to be the Messiah of the people of Kashmir”, Mr Rana said, adding that the inherent contradictions, duplicity and allegiance to multiple power centres has exposed the PDP leadership.
The Provincial President said a group of over half a dozen disillusioned legislators is waiting in wings to bid adieu to PDP to complete the final stage of desertion which will come ahead of the Assembly elections.The Provincial President described PDP as a bubble of water that takes no time in getting vanished. Amid applause by the party workers, he declared that the PDP leadership is expediting this process and the day is not far when the party will disappear from the political scape of Jammu and Kashmir.Mr Rana, however, expressed concern over the emergence of fascist forces across the country and said this is a bad omen for the unity and secular ethos of the nation. “The giant of communalism is raising its ugly head and if it is not fought politically and unitedly by the secular forces, it will spread tentacles in the length and breadth of the country”, he said and urged the people to strengthen secular and democratic forces to retain the unique grandeur of the country.
In an oblique reference to those who claim and forecast their emergence as largest group in forthcoming assembly elections, Rana said that undermining the strength of National Conference amounts to political naivety. “National Conference was, is and will continue to be the premier party of Jammu and Kashmir at the strength of its committed cadre and presence in all the three regions of Kashmir, Jammu and Ladakh”, he said, adding that it is not just a political party but a mass movement that has worked tirelessly for the single entity, prosperity and progress of the State. He said all political analysts have predicted and rightly so that National Conference will emerge as a single largest party after the elections. He said National Conference is committed to maintaining the coalition spirit but at the same time it expects the political class of the State to understand the truth, which may appear as bitter to them.“Like Kashmir, we will triumph in Jammu and Ladakh regions as well in the ensuing elections and establish the supremacy the party of Sher-e-Kashmir is known for,” the Provincial President said, adding that the report card of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is key to steering to mammoth victory for years to come. He exhorted the party workers for working towards this direction right from now. In this context, he emphasized the crucial role of women who form the substantial part of his party’s strength.
Rana said that joining of new entrants will further strengthen the party at grass roots level and urged them to fan out in their respective areas and work for the welfare and emancipation of the underprivileged segments of society. He attached immense significance to the women power, saying their role is imperative in decision making and the growth of harmonious society. Provincial President National Conference Women Wing Mrs Vijay Laxmi Dutta, MLA Mrs Bimla Luthra, Provincial Secretary Sheikh Bashir Ahmed and the leader of the group of women who joined National Conference Razia Begum also spoke on the occasion.Among others present on the occasion included ex-Legislators Babu Rampaul, Pt. Govind Ram Sharma, Haji Mohammad Hussain, Bhushan Lal Bhat, besides party leaders Jugal Mahajan, S. Peter, Dhramveer Singh Jamwal, Mohd Ayub Malik, Abdul Gani Teli, Surinder Singh Bunty, Rashida Begum, Dilshad Begum, Ramsaroop Sharma, S. Kair Singh, Ch. Rehmat Ali, Sukha, Mudasar Zargar, Pardeep Bali, Pakaj Kohli, Rohit Bali, Anju Grover, Veena Oberai, Manveer Kour, Mohsin Salaria, Gurnam Singh and others.