Azad, Soz address Congress rally jointly to show unity

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad and Congress' Jammu and Kashmir unit chief Saifuddin Soz Saturday addressed a public rally jointly in Anantnag district, in a bid to set at rest speculations that the two were at loggerheads.

The rally in Shangus assembly constituency in Anantnag was presided over by Soz, while Azad was the chief guest.

Speaking on the occasion, Azad said it was a happy coincidence that the day happened to be the foundation day of the Congress, which now turns 129 years old, after having led the freedom struggle to success and achieved marvellous milestones in strengthening democracy and secularism in the country.

He said the party had contributed enormously to the overall development of the state over a long period of time, be it the development of infrastructure, healthcare, power generation, and the construction of roads and the railway line which now runs up to Baramulla.

The latest developmental stride made by the state is the tunneling project at Z-Morh and Zojila which can bring Ladakh region closer to Kashmir and the rest of the country, he said.

Azad said that he was happy that inspite of Congress' rivals having tried to damage the party's image, the fact remains that it has become popular in Kashmir also.

"The people of all the three regions have accepted Congress as a tool of service to them," he said.

Soz appealed to the Congress workers to stand united and further strengthen the party in all the three regions of the state.

He told the gathering that all their demands in respect of development were acceptable to both of them (Soz and Azad) and they would work hard to resolve these problems.

To scotch media reports that Azad and Soz had been patronizing separate loyalist camps within the state Congress party, a party statement had recently said the two would jointly address a rally in Anantnag district.