Cong workers want party to fight polls on its own in J-K: Soz

J-K Congress unit chief Saifuddin Soz today said the party workers in the state want that it should contest polls on its own and he will convey their sentiments to the high command which will take the final decision on any tie-up.
He said he wanted "a friendly match between the parties here" and gave enough hints that he would be in the race for chief ministership.
"I am not saying that we should not have a pre-poll alliance for the parliamentary or assembly elections, but that there is a general feeling among the workers of Congress party that we should fight the polls on our own. They have shared their feelings with me and I would convey the same to the high command," Soz, whose party is running a coalition with National Conference, said.

While Lok Sabha polls are slated for April-May, J-K assembly election is due late this year.
"There would be consultations with the high command first. I want a friendly match between the parties here rather than a competition in the elections. It should be a free and fair election, where the compulsions of the parties would be few and the feelings of people will work. However, it is not the final view of the party," Soz told reporters on the sidelines of a function.
He said he would "take the feelings" of the workers to the high command and then "see what happens".

"Ambika Soni is the party in-charge and Ghulam Nabi Azad also has a vote in this. We will meet Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi and we will take the voice of the people to the screening committee and core group of the party," he said.