Jammu: Following crucial meeting between top leaders of Jammu province, the uncertainty looms large over the next move of National Conference’s Jammu Chief Devender Singh.
Senior National Conference leader and former legislator Devinder Singh Rana is believed to have stepped down as provincial president of the party, a post he was holding on since 2013 while the party was in power under Omar Abdullah. However, there is no confirmation from the party.
Devinder Rana also avoided the question regarding his resignation. “I am still provincial president of National Conference and will share next move with you,” Rana told media persons after meeting with Chairman, Dogra Swabhiman Sangathan and former minister Choudhary Lal Singh as well as NC leader Surjit Singh Salathia.
“This will 100 percent wrong move,” Choudhary Lal Singh said when asked about is Rana joining BJP. Earlier, the trio has close door meeting.
In another interview, when Rana asked will he continue to be president of National conference he said “I can’t predict future. At present I am provincial president of National Conference.”
“I don’t do politic on rumours and don’t waste time on rumours,” he said when asked about the speculations about stepped down as provincial president of NC.
Asked about various leaders visiting him, he said anyone is welcome at his home as guests and when it comes to interests of Jammu he will meet anyone. He said Jammu’s interest would only be saved when all political parties of Jammu would unite and raise Jammu’s voice.
The speculation further triggered after Senior NC leader Nasir Aslam Wani visited him and Mayor SMC Junaid Azim Mattu wished him good luck for future.
“From how much I know Devender Rana , he’s anything but impulsive and certainly an exceptionally bright politician. Have always shared a warm and genuine friendship with him. He has always treated me as a younger brother. Wherever his future lies, I will always wish him the best,” Azim Mattu twitted.
In June this year, Rana came up with the idea of the Jammu Declaration. Rana has been calling Jammu Declaration, a voice of Jammu by Jammu for inclusive J&K and says it will be a roadmap to defeat the votaries of the Dixon Plan who want to divide the Jammu region on the basis of religion. Rana’s ideas have many takers in Jammu.
Sir Owen Dixon, the U N Representative who came to the subcontinent pursuant to the Security Council’s 1950 resolution on the Kashmir dispute, is remembered by the people of Kashmir nostalgically and his “Dixon Plan” is still talked about. Dixon plan assigned Ladakh to India, the Northern Areas and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (POK) to Pakistan, split Jammu between the two and envisaged a plebiscite in the Kashmir Valley.
Rana has been calling the Jammu declaration against the machinations of dividing Jammu and Kashmir in regional, sub-regional and religious lines.
Jammu declaration is seen as counter to the Gupkar declaration and there are many takers of the Jammu Declaration in Jammu including Choudhary Lal Singh. Gupkar declaration is a resolution passed by the National Conference, People’s Democratic Party, Congress, People’s Conference, and smaller parties on August 4, 2019, to defend J&K’s special status.
A day later, on August 5, 2019, the BJP government revoked Article 370 amid arrests of around 8000 people including three former chief ministers and enforcing security and communication lockdown.
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