By News Agency of Kashmir
Jammu : The sudden announcement of resignation from active politics by Bhartiya Janta Party (BJP) vice president and spokesman Prof Hari Om has taken everybody by surprise while the ruling Congress has heaved a sigh of relief with this decision of the BJP’s hardcore loyalist and fiery writer.
While everybody is guessing over the decision of the BJP ideologue who has switched off all the connection with the outside world including his mobile phone, the reports of role of Vice Chancellor Jammu University Prof. Amitabh Mattoo, one time arch ideological rival of Prof. Hari Om, in moulding the die hard pro-Jammu Professor has come under sharp focus.
Insiders, preferring anonymity, told News Agency of Kashmir that Prof Mattoo, in a bid to win over the beleaguered Congress chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, has played a pivotal role in moulding the head strong Professor to leave the active politics and play the role of an academician.
He is reported to have set a condition of leaving the ‘active politics’ to Prof. Hari Om before joining the Jammu University again on a two years contract for prestigious Gulab Singh chair.
Former BJP president Dr. Nirmal Singh, who has submitted to Prof. Mattoo after his two visits to Pugwash Conferences abroad, is also reported to have mediated between the Jammu University Vice Chancellor and Prof. Hari Om and urged him to leave the active politics for sometime.
The prestigious Gulab Singh chair has been lying vacant for quite sometime and the selection of professor for the post was deferred twice by the Jammu University authorities.
If the sources have to be believed Prof Om had a series of secret meeting the vice chancellor for over a week before his resignation.
Every body in political circle and even in the media fraternity were taken to surprise by the sudden decision of the BJP spokesman, who had not even consulted his party leaders before taking the decision.
Observers believe that the Prof Matoo, whose term as VC Jammu University, is coming to an end was lobbying hard to make an entry in the political spare of the state. Though he is said to be in good terms with Congress chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, sources said that there is every chance of his joining PDP in coming future.
It was also reliably learnt that former chief secretary SS Baloria – once considered to be right hand of former chief minister Mufti Muhammad Sayeed – was suggested by the PDP leaders to join Congress as the only probable seat for Kashmiri Pandits in the party was being kept for Prof Matoo.