People complain their vote hasn’t made any difference: J&K Congress chief

Srinagar, Feb 09: Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) president Tariq Hameed Karra said on Sunday that people are complaining that their vote has not made a difference.
“They had hoped that after the restoration of the democratic system, their genuine grievances and public issues would be addressed. However, even at the local level, these concerns remain unresolved,” Karra said while addressing a press conference at the party headquarters here.
He said a situation is getting created where the common masses feel the vote they cast and the democratic system they helped strengthen by electing a government are not yielding any benefits. There are many intricacies involved, the foremost being that the business rules have not yet been framed, he said.
Karra said that over the past two days, the party conducted district-wise meetings across 10 districts, following up on sessions held on December 10. These meetings involved district presidents and senior leaders to discuss organizational strategies, strengthen grassroots outreach, and enhance public trust.
During these meetings, a major concern raised was the growing public dissatisfaction with governance. People feel that their democratic participation has not translated into effective governance, with local grievances still unaddressed, he said.
“Bureaucracy seems caught between the directives of the elected government and the legacy of the Lieutenant Governor’s administration, and there’s ambiguity about whether administrative shortcomings are due to deliberate negligence or genuine confusion among officials regarding their accountability,” he added.
J&K Congress chief said that essential public issues like ration distribution, power supply, smart meter installations, rising tariffs, casual labourers’ regularisation and unemployment remain unresolved. “These were promises made by alliance partners in their manifestos, and it is imperative they adopt a proactive approach to address them—both at the local level and with the Central government,” he said.
Karra, who is the MLA from Shalteng Central, said the Congress Party’s stance on statehood restoration remains firm. “We have consistently advocated for full statehood, as the democratic system can only function effectively with its restoration. The delay in restoring statehood, despite Supreme Court directions, raises concerns about the central government’s intentions. While elections were conducted as per the court’s directive, the equally critical aspect of restoring statehood has been ignored.”
Regarding government formation and the number of ministers, the former minister said, “First of all, it’s not 10 ministers; it’s 10% of the total number of seats, which amounts to nine seats, including the Chief Minister. Out of these, 6 cabinet ministers, including the Chief Minister, have been appointed and are running the government. Now, 3 seats are yet to be filled. The government, that is the National Conference or the Chief Minister, should clarify the reason for the delay and how long it will take to fill these three ministerial positions.”
On leaders from the DPAP seeking to rejoin Congress, he said, “Many have expressed interest in returning. We have held preliminary discussions, but decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis after consulting the central leadership.”
Addressing concerns about health cards and the exclusion of private hospitals from the scheme, Karra said, “If private hospitals are being delisted, it undermines the scheme’s purpose. Government hospitals can’t provide all specialised services, and such a move would harm the public interest. If funding issues exist between the Centre and hospitals, the government must clear pending dues promptly.”