NC wooing young faces, Zaffar, Shehla, Faesal likely to join party

To revive the party ahead of elections, National Conference (NC) is wooing young faces and three prominent figures from the Valley are likely to join the party fold.
The three youngsters are Zaffar Mir (Lasjan), the grandson of former Congress leader and former minister Ghulam Muhamad Mir Lasjan; student leader Shehla Rashid Shora and 2011 Indian Administrative Service (IAS) topper Shah Faesal.
Talking to Kashmir Post, a senior NC leader said the modalities were being worked out for these three young faces to join the party.
“Shah Faesal is in touch with Omar (Abdullah) sahab, Shehla Rashid Shora will join soon, and Zaffar’s joining the party will soon be announced by Farooq (Abdullah) sahab,” the NC leader said. “All three are willing to join the party.”
The leader said the joining ceremony would be held soon after the party high command returns to the Valley.
However, NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar said he did not know about the joining of Shora or Faesal but added that it was good if educated youth join the party.
He said as Omar Abdullah and Farooq Abdullah were both out of the State, he could not comment on whether anyone among Shora or Faesal wants to join the party.
Meanwhile, Zaffar Mir Lasjan while confirming to Kashmir Post that he is joining NC said the two main reasons behind his decision were his admiration for the leadership of Omar Abdullah and development of Chadoora constituency.
“Chadoora has been completely neglected since the days my grandfather left representing the constituency,” Zaffar said.
He said the day of his joining would be declared by the party as one more young face was going to be inducted in NC along with him.
Zaffar said he believes the best possible solution to Kashmir issue was greater autonomy which NC had been advocating for.
Student leader and activist Shehla Rashid Shora is also tipped to join NC.
Shora is currently pursuing her Ph.D. from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) where she was vice president of the Jawaharlal Nehru University Student Union (JNUSU) on a ticket from the leftwing student party, All India Students Association (AISA).
Shora, who comes from a family of NC loyalists, came into the limelight after the JNUSU President Kanhaiya Kumar was arrested on charges of sedition over the JNU sedition controversy in February 2016.
She led the student agitation calling for the release of Kumar, Umar Khalid and others.
Faesal, who topped the 2011 IAS, has been in the news since the General Administration Department shot a letter to him intimidating him about initiation of action against him.
Faesal himself shared the letter on social media platform Twitter where he has been outspoken on various issues.
Currently, Faesal is on a study leave in the United States.
NC insiders reveal that Faesal is in touch with Omar Abdullah about his joining the party, while Congress President Rahul Gandhi had spoken in defence of the IAS topper which is being seen as a part of wooing him toward the Congress party.
Post Twitter controversy, Faesal has hinted that he might take up some other career.
“Losing my job is a small risk for the debate I am trying to have,” Faesal had tweeted post the controversy.
The NC’s wooing of the young brigade comes after the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was routed out of power in the State amid prevailing law and order situation in the Valley.
Also, the government is mulling to conduct the Panchayat and Urban Local Bodies polls in September this year.