By NAK,
Jammu : Former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and senior Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad is once again heading for national politics as he is likely to be inducted as general secretary of All India Congress Committee (AICC).
Well placed sources in the party circles told News Agency of Kashmir that AICC chief Sonia Gandhi has cleared the name of Azad as one of the four Congress leaders to be inducted as new general secretaries.
They said that the final announcement about the induction of the new general secretaries will be made in the second week of February after the block-level meeting of the party to be held in New Delhi on February 8.
Besides Azad names of J B Patnaik and S M Krishna were also making rounds for their induction into AICC.
If sources have to be believed, Azad could be entrusted with the charge of handling the party affairs in Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat where the party has been facing the upheaval task of countering Mayawati’s BSP and Narendra Modi’s.
Initially, Azad who has been general secretary for eight times, didn’t show inclination to become general secretary for the record ninth time. However, he was persuaded by Ahmed Patel, the political secretary to the Congress President, sources added.
Earlier, the announcement for the induction was to take place on January 14. It was withheld on the ground that party leaders and workers are busy with preparations of the meeting of the presidents of districts and blocks of the party, which is scheduled to be held in New Delhi on February 8. This meeting, which is being held after a gap of four years, assumes significance in the backdrop of forthcoming general elections.
Azad, who was recently reelected to the state legislative assembly from Bhaderwah constituency, has remained union cabinet minister for two terms before he was sent to Jammu and Kashmir after Congress entered into alliance with Peoples Democratic Party.
Observers believe that Azad is likely to contest upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Kathua-Udhampur-Doda constituency. Earlier, he was tipped as one of the party nominee for the Rajya Sabha elections to be held on February 13. However, sources said that Azad refused his participation and instead has shown his willingness to contest Parliamentary polls.