Assembly poll debacle triggers debate over Karra's appointment as Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief

Jammu: The Congress's debacle in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls has triggered a debate over the recent appointment of Tariq Hameed Karra as the party unit chief here, with a section of leaders gunning for his head.

However, Karra loyalists maintain that he has emerged as an "unsung hero" as he led the party to remarkable victories, including in two new seats in north Kashmir, despite assuming the charge of the Jammu and Kashmir Congress only a few weeks ahead of the polls.

An alliance partner of the National Conference (NC), the Congress could win only six seats -- five in Kashmir and one in Jammu -- in the first Assembly polls after the abrogation of the provisions of Article 370 of the Constitution and bifurcation of the erstwhile state into Union territories in August 2019.

In consultation with the top Congress leadership, Karra has formed a fact-finding committee to ascertain the reasons behind the party's poor poll show, especially in the Jammu region, and suggest measures for strengthening the organisation.

A former minister, Karra was appointed as the president of the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee on August 16, replacing Vikar Rasool Wani. The decision to appoint Karra coincided with the announcement of the Assembly polls in the Union Territory.

The NC-Congress alliance secured a majority in the Assembly with 49 seats. The NC emerged as the largest party with 42 seats. The alliance formed its government on Wednesday, with NC vice-president Omar Abdullah taking oath as the chief minister.

Wani, former deputy chief minister Tara Chand, working president of the Jammu and Kashmir Congress Raman Bhalla and several former ministers were among the candidates of the grand old party who tasted defeat in the polls.

"Blaming Karra for the defeat of the majority of the party candidates is injustice.... Under his leadership, Irfan Hafeez Lone and Nizamuddin Butt joined the party and won the polls from the Wagoora-Kreeri and Badipora constituencies in north Kashmir, while Karra himself won the Central-Shelteng seat in Srinagar. The party also secured two of the three seats in south Kashmir," said a Congress leader who did not want to be named.

He claimed that the leaders who lost the poll contest due to their own failures are now plotting against Karra.

"They are disgruntled over Karra's success, which has revitalised the party," he said.

According to sources, a group of Congress leaders has held a meeting and passed a resolution blaming Karra for the party's poor poll performance. These leaders are planning to meet the top Congress leadership and submit the resolution, the sources said.

Dismissing the resolution, the leader said Karra's achievements are all the more impressive given the short time frame he had and the damage control that was required.

Karra's dominance in Jammu and Kashmir's politics is undeniable as he defeated former chief minister and NC president Farooq Abdullah in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls, he added.

"His leadership has reinvigorated the party, making him one of the tallest leaders in Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Meanwhile, several Congress leaders welcomed the formation of the fact-finding committee to ascertain the reasons for the party's poor poll show.

"The seriousness of the party chief towards the betterment of the party's interests shows that he himself is keen to know the reasons behind the defeat of the Congress candidates in the Jammu region," the leaders said in a statement.

They said the committee will attempt its best to bring the truth to the notice of the party high-command, including Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, so that they take appropriate action.