Jammu, Nov 1 (IANS) The war of words between Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling alliance partners exacerbated Tuesday with the Congress hitting out at a National Conference leader’s claim that infighting within the Congress was affecting functioning of the Omar Abdullah government.
In a hard-hitting reaction to National Conference additional general secretary and chief spokesperson Sheikh Mustafa Kamal’s allegation, Congress spokesperson Ravinder Sharma said it was ‘uncalled for and unwarranted’.
Kamal, uncle of Omar, speaking at a party workers’ convention in Kulgam in the valley Monday, said: ‘Congress should iron out its internal differences and let Chief Minister Omar Abdullah complete his mission.’
His reference was to the squabbling between Congress factions, led by state party chief Saifudin Soz and union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
The statement did not go down well with the Congress.
In a statement, Sharma termed the comments ‘uncalled for and unwarranted utterances of National Conference spokesman Mustafa Kamal’ and asked him to desist from issuing sermons to the Congress party.
‘Kamal is in the habit of issuing highly objectionable statements which harm the interest of the coalition,’ Sharma said, adding: ‘Congress party demands the National Conference leadership should restrain Kamal from such utterances, otherwise the party would be left with no option but to seek his dismissal from his party.’
