Confronted by surging internal rivalry and public mudslinging, the Congress central leadership has deployed a three-member inquiry committee to Jammu and Kashmir to investigate “reported indiscipline and anti-party activities.”
The panel has wrapped up its fact-finding mission and is set to submit its probe report to the party high command. Sources indicate that disciplinary action is imminent against two senior leaders accused of making public statements targeting the party leadership.
The Fact-Finding Committee
According to Congress General Secretary KC Venugopal, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge officially approved the panel on June 11 to address the escalating discord within the Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC).
The committee consists of:
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Shaktisinh Gohil (Head)
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Amar Singh
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Rafeek Khan
Congress spokesman Ravinder Sharma highlighted the severity of the situation, noting, “It is unprecedented that such an inquiry committee was formed by the Central leaders. Preliminary reports indicate that indiscipline was established… an inquiry and fixing responsibility became inevitable after some leaders crossed the line.”
Factional Feuds and Serious Allegations
The core of the conflict revolves around an open rebellion against JKPCC President Tariq Hamid Karra.
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The Rebel Faction: Led by former Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and former JKPCC chief Vikar Rasool Wani, the dissidents have leveled serious allegations against Karra, accusing him of corruption and pursuing a “separatist agenda.”
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The Retaliation: As the probe panel arrived, both warring factions reportedly presented detailed dossiers packed with counter-accusations against each other.
Prior to forming the panel, the high command had summoned top J&K leaders—including Karra, Tara Chand, Vikar Rasool Wani, General Secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir, and JKPCC Working President Raman Bhalla—sternly warning them to cease public altercations.
A Lingering Crisis
Insiders acknowledge that the internal warfare has severely crippled the party’s growth in the region. The JKPCC has been in a state of organizational fragility since the high-profile exit of veteran leader Ghulam Nabi Azad in 2022, which triggered a mass exodus.
Although the majority of those leaders have since returned to the Congress fold following the collapse of Azad’s breakaway party, Congress continues to struggle to reclaim its political foothold in its former stronghold of the Jammu region.
