Soz to head 11-member Election Committee in J and K

Srinagar, Oct 12 (UNI) Expecting early polls in Jammu and Kashmir despite opposition by political parties, the Congress has announced An 11-member campaigning committee headed by Union Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz.

A release issued here today said All India Congress Committee has approved the campaigning committee for the General Assembly elections, in the state.

The other members of the committee, included former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Gulam Rasool Kar, Mangat Ram Sharma, Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, Taj Mohiuddin, Mula Ram, Chaudhary Lal Singh, Madan lal Sharma, Khem lata Wakhloo and P Namgiyal.

Political observers here said the Congress probably expected polls in November or December, despite opposition by Kashmir based mainstream parties.

The National Conference (NC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), state unit of the Communist Party of India (M) and Awami National Conference (ANC) had in clear terms informed the three-member Election Commission of India (ECI) delegation headed by Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) N Gopalaswami recently that situation was not conducive for polls.

Besides asking for some more time, they had demanded Kashmir centric Confidence Building Measures (CBM) for mass participation of people in the polls. Elections if held immediately, would not be credible, they informed the ECI.

UNI BAS ASM SK RK1625