After the fractured verdict in the Assembly polls, the National Conference (NC) leadership is besieged by a new worry. It’s quickly losing friends and supporters.Even the so-called faithfuls of are scampering. The NC headquarters at Nawa-i-Subh — that attracted huge crowds till recently — is desolate today. Cong gave up CM post in national interest: Sonia MANDI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi said on Monday that her party had given the J-K chief minister’s post to the PDP in the interest of the nation and the situation in the state. The party had made the ‘‘sacrifice’’ to honour the sentiments of the people in J-K, who faced bullets to uphold democracy, Sonia said. Sonia asked Himachal Congress leaders to sink their differences and work together to win the Assembly elections scheduled early next year. ‘‘Let the difference between the working of the Congress and the BJP be made visible,’’ she said. ‘‘We are ruling in 14 states and sharing power in J-K. Himachal would be the 16th state where the Congress will come to power,” she said. (ENS) Now the multistoreyed complex closes by afternoon. This in sharp contrast to early this month when the leaders would deliberate till late at night amid the din of hundreds of partymen.Hordes of supporters would fight for an audience with top leaders, they would shout slogans and jostle to be near their leaders. Many supporters would leave early in the morning from Tangdhar, Keran, and Uri villages to reach Nawa-i-Subh and list grievances and seek redressal.A party old hand sums up the changing times for J-K’s longest ruling party. ‘‘It was a shipwreck. Every serious NC man drowned along with his supporters. Now a serious man will need time to get supporters.’’ NC officebearer Ghulam Mohammad said: ‘‘The U-turn of NC backers was along expected lines. Dumus seeth chi namaskar (People bid goodbye once you are out of power).’’A former NC legislator, who lost this polls, accused the top leadership for the dismal show. ‘‘The district chiefs had almost no say in the search for nominees. The estrangement of many favourite candidates cost us six to eight seats.’’NC president Omar Abdullah is thinking of revamping the party from the tehsil- and district-level up by pumping in young blood. According to sources, most defeated candidates are unhappy with general secretary Sheikh Nazir Ahmad. Ahmad is former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah’s cousin. Sources said most NC leaders want him out.
