leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Wednesday claimed that the Congress party would improve its performance and win more seats in 2014 as compared to 2008 Assembly polls.
Unnerved by the BJP’s aggressive campaign and presence of RSS workers on ground zero Azad also claimed that the BJP is playing communal politics in the state by dividing people on communal lines. He objected to the presence of RSS workers in the area. "They are visiting houses late in the evening and spreading hatred".
"The erstwhile Doda region where I have been doing politics for several years no longer remains the same. I never differentiated people on thae basis of religion. But ever since the BJP is working there people are divided in to religious groups", he added.
Shying away from openly accepting the fact that he himself is party’s first choice for the post of Chief Minister, if voted to power, Azad maintained it is not always necessary to fight the polls to be able to become the CM.
"There is no such pre-condition. Before I became CM in November 2005 I was not even a member of the State Assembly", he added dropping a clear hint that he continues to be in the race for the chief ministerial post in J&K.
Commenting on the party’s poll plank Azad, flanked by AICC general secretary Ambika Soni and PCC chief Saif Ud Din Soz also claimed that if voted to power Congress would hold elections of Panchayati Raj in the State to complete the three tiers of empowerment at the grass root level.