Peace, progress priority: Cong

When Sayed arrived with senior leaders at the Congress headquarters jubilant party workers carried him to the conference hall on their shoulders.

Many senior leaders and party workers could not contain their joy at the prospect of having a Congress chief minister rule the state. Syed Mir Qasim was the last Congress leader to occupy the office, from December 1971 to February 1975. A beaming Sayed hugged some of his aides at the headquarters and said: “Each and every Congress man is happy over the decision of Congress high command. This is a right decision and we all respect it.”

He added: “We have already a Common Minimum Programme and all coalition partners are going to work according to its guidelines.”

As Sayed explained the Congress programme for the state, enthusiastic workers outside chanted slogans in support of the incoming chief minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad. “Azad sahib is coming to Kashmir on November 1. Our party is also meeting (that day)… in Srinagar to elect the CLP leader,” Sayed said

The Congress chief took care to mention outgoing Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayed’s contribution. “Under his governance the coalition government had a good time. Along with PDP we are going to work jointly for the development of the state,” he added.

Sayed said the Azad government’s top priorities would be India-Pakistan peace process and funding. “We are committed to the restoration of peace and development of the state,” he added. Many a Congress worker urged Sayed to convey their best wishes to Azad. “For us, this is a day of victory and success,” said Farooq Ahmad, a worker who had come here all the way from Baramulla. “After years of wait this state is now headed by our party,” he said.