Jammu, Aug 29: As PDP is already tackling internal rebellion, those who otherwise claim to be with the party are racing each other to grab the headlines.
Such an amusing situation was witnessed on Tuesday when on one side at least three to four PDP leaders issued a joint statement on Article 35-A and on the other side was another leader who lost the 2014 polls in north Kashmir and was till recently holding the post of Vice chairman in one of the vital boards of the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Addressing the workers, party's Vice President Abdul Rahman Veeri, General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone Hanjura and Noor Mohammad Sheikh stressed for the strengthening of the party and democratising its mission before the masses of the state.
The nominees in their addresses ensured that the party will remain unanimous in defending the state's special status and will foil any nefarious designs that could weaken the unique position state of Jammu and Kashmir enjoys at present.
Vice President Abdul Rehman Veeri in his address termed the present situation worrisome as uncalled for assaults are being launched by the nefarious miscreants against 35-A.
He added that a befitting reply shall be given to those rancorous elements who are out to vitiate the atmosphere of peace and tranquillity in the state and that they will find PDP an indefatigable defender of the state's unique identity at every moment and on every pedestal.
However, what exposed the arch rivalry between the party leaders was that minutes after such a statement was issued, the former VC in question issued a separate statement in which he tried hard to prove himself more loyal than king while leaving no stone unturned to belittle the nationalists.
While trying to steal the headlines from his own party's vice president, aid Jammu and Kashmir history has perpetually been reversed in post-partition times during which not only have the state lost much of its autonomy but has immensely suffered in loosing its physical personality and cultural independence.
He made a fervent appeal to conscientious class to forge unity in thought and action and stand guard against fragmentation of ideas and ideologies which are important to hold the state and its people together. "This has once again exposed how jealous are the party leaders with each other and don't even allow each other top get published in the newspapers. It was all natural that when the vice-president had issued a statement on a particular issue, other leader should not have transgressed the limits and come out with some other statement," says a party functionary privy to the development.
He added that there should have been a proper system in vogue through which statements by the leaders should have been made rather than racing against each other to get a same statement published.