Jammu, Jun 01: The groupism and in-fighting in the Jammu and Kashmir Congress party is out in the open as Ghulam Nabi Aazd’s loyalists, which includes former Minister and scores of ex MLAs skipped party’s ‘Chintan Shivir’ which was held at Patnitop hills to discuss the strategy to strengthen the party in the Jammu and Kashmir in the wake of upcoming assembly polls.

Sources said Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president G A Mir among party in-charge and Rajay Sabha MP Rajni Patil, working president Raman Bhalla, All India NSUI president Neeraj Kundan and battery of other office bearers were presented during the inaugural day of Congress party’s meeting at Patnitop, however, none of the Azad’s loyalists turned- up for the meet on the first day to discuss the strategy to strengthen the party in the Union Territory.

Party insiders stated that it was expected that senior AICC leader and former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad might attend the meeting after he has been given key responsibility in powerful — Political Affairs Group by party high command but not Azad neither his loyal leader turned up for the ‘Chintan Shivir’.

Moreover, in the last assembly Congress party had 12 elected MLA’s in the house, and out of them only one MLA from Kashmir region remained present in the meeting while 11 preferred to skip the important organizational meeting.

Azad’s supporters including many former ministers and legislators have, in the past, voiced resentments against JKPCC Chief Mir, seeking his removal besides making Azad the party chief ministerial candidate in J&K.

Due to factionalism in the state Congress, the party had to appoint senior leader Raman Bhalla as working president some months back.

It was the first such meeting of JKPCC leaders after abrogation of Article 370 and bifurcation of J&K.kno