Congress bats for Jammu and Kashmir statehood: Fresh campaign from April 22

The Indian National Congress (INC) will launch a month-and-a-half-long campaign for the restoration of statehood and the “Save the Constitution” movement in Jammu and Kashmir from April 22.

The campaign comes in the wake of the appointment of Syed Naseer Hussain as the new Jammu and Kashmir in-charge and senior leader Digvijay Singh as observer. 

Hussain replaced Bharat Singh Solanki, under whose tenure the Congress performed poorly in the Assembly elections, winning only six seats—five in Kashmir and just one in Jammu. 

With these new appointments, the Congress is attempting to revive its support base in the Union Territory.

The party aims to win back former supporters who had left and joined Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party in 2022. Azad recently announced the dissolution of all units of his party, raising questions about his political future.

The fresh campaign for statehood is being launched on the instructions of the party’s central leadership.

The campaign will focus on the BJP’s “betrayal” over statehood and its failure to empower elected governments. 

The Congress believes that not restoring power to elected representatives has fuelled public anger against the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir.

The campaign will commence with a meeting of senior Congress leaders from all districts and blocks in Jammu on April 22. This will be followed by protest rallies across Jammu on April 29, during which alleged attacks on the Constitution will be highlighted.

The protests will also target the BJP over its failure to address unemployment, rising inflation, excessive taxation, and its divisive communal politics.

The Congress, part of the National Conference-led ruling alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, has been struggling for political relevance after a lacklustre electoral performance. The party is also grappling with an internal crisis, with some leaders reportedly dissatisfied with the functioning of the senior leadership.

To address internal issues, the party’s central leadership replaced Bharat Singh Solanki with Syed Naseer Hussain as Jammu and Kashmir in-charge in February. Two months later, senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh was appointed as observer for Jammu and Kashmir.

However, Singh’s appointment has sparked confusion within the party ranks, with some leaders questioning the rationale behind appointing an observer so soon after Hussain took charge as the new in-charge.

India