As State Congress leaders are gearing up to welcome former Prime Minister and senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh in Srinagar, the former State Congress President Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz has sought a separate appointment with the visiting delegation.

Prof Soz is not meeting the Manmohan Singh led delegation with other state Congress leaders.

“Prof Soz is not attending the J&K Congress executive committee on Saturday which will be addressed by Dr Singh. The development comes at a time when Congress is trying to redeem itself in the state after the drubbing in 2014 Parliament and Assembly elections,” a party insider said.

Pertinently, after G A Mir took over as the State Congress President in March 2015, Prof Soz has been maintaining distance from the party activities. He even issues statements where he mentions himself as former minister and not as a Congress leader.

 The Manmohan Singh led group is meeting different groups during their visit to “get a firsthand account” of the situation prevailing in J&K. It is meeting a number of delegations, opposition parties, 2014 flood victims and other civil society members.

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