Date:29/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/29/stories/2008122955351000.htm

National

Congress discusses poll results

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: The results of the Jammu and Kashmir elections figured dominantly at a meeting of the Congress’ core group on Sunday.

Well placed sources said Union Minister for Water Resources Saifuddin Soz and the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, were scheduled to attend the meeting but were held up in Jammu. It is likely that the two will meet party president Sonia Gandhi on Monday.

Minister of State for Personnel Prithviraj Chavan, who is also party general secretary in charge of the border State, was also likely to visit Jammu and Kashmir, the sources said.

Preliminary assessment

Party leaders were making a preliminary assessment and a strategy would be evolved in the next few days after the central leadership’s discussions with Mr. Azad and Mr. Soz.

The leadership will have to decide if the party will go along with the National Conference.

The Congress formed a coalition government with the People’s Democratic Party after the 2002 Assembly polls, but the alliance hit a rough patch after the Amarnath Shrine land allotment controversy erupted this mid-year and the State was brought under Governor’s rule.