Denying that there is any Modi wave in the country, Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Friday kick-started lok Sabha campaign along with alliance partner National Conference from frontier Rajouri district in Jammu & Kashmir.
Driven in a private car by National Conference provincial president DS Rana up to Sunderbani, the venue of his first rally, jubilant Azad claimed there is NC-Congress wave in the State and expressed hope that the alliance would win all six seats.
On the occasion, Azad also reacted to media reports related to his nomination from the Udhampur-Doda lok Sabha seat. “It is almost impossible for me to fight elections,” Azad said.
The party high command is yet to announce the name of the party nominee amid speculation that the party was not in favour of repeating the sitting MP lal Singh.
In the run up to the deliberations, the State party leaders have mounted pressure on Azad to throw his hat in the poll arena but he too is reluctant to fight lok Sabha polls.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of election rally, Azad said, “I am committed to work for the party and I will be campaigning in more than 100 lok Sabha seats in the coming weeks. I cannot restrict myself to just one constituency and claim thumping majority. The party will not benefit. Party is supreme and is first priority for me. I want to work hard and galvanise more and more people in support of the party”.
Azad along with PCC chief Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz and leaders of the National Conference addressed three election meetings in Sunderbani, Nowshera and Rajouri on day 1 of his three-day long tour.
Tainted Congress MlA Shabir Khan, booked in the sexual assault case involving a woman doctor, along with his supporters had organised the show of strength in Rajouri.
Ironically, he stayed away from the media glare on the specific instructions of the senior party leaders.
On the occasion, the alliance leaders counted the achievements of the Congress-led UPA Government and the alliance Government in the State and urged the masses to defeat the divisive forces in the coming lok Sabha polls.