J&K: Senior NC leader quits party ahead of assembly polls

Srinagar, Nov 5: In a major jolt to ruling National Conference ahead of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, senior party leader and MLC Sheikh Ghulam Rasool has quit the party citing deteriorating party affairs in his native Ganderbal constituency.

"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 (Abdullah) and you through senior party leaders a few days back," Rasool, a former chief secretary of the state, said in the resignation letter to NC working president Omar Abdullah.

Rasool, who was seen as key to Omar's victory in 2008 assembly elections from Ganderbal, cited lack of consultation in the party over state affairs and even in orgnisational matters of Ganderbal.

"I had the privilege to be what you described as 'architect of your success in Ganderbal in 2008 with landslide majority as against the humiliating defeat of 2002.

"During your stewardship of the past six years, I again did not get occasion even of consultative nature either in state affairs or in Ganderbal matters -- organisational or administrative," he wrote.

Rasool said these factors and the overall situation in the party were the reasons for his resignation.

"Keeping in view these factors and overall situation of the party, I am of the considered opinion that it is time for me to dissociate myself completely from the party and accordingly I resign from the primary membership of the party and as a member of the central working committee," he added.

PTI