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Omar calls on Governor, stakes claim

— Photo: NISSAR AHMAD

NEW HOPE: National Conference president Omar Abdullah and wife Payal Abdullah reach out to party supporters in Jammu on Sunday.

JAMMU: National Conference president Omar Abdullah on Sunday called on Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra and formally staked claim to form a government.

He is all set to take oath as Chief Minister of a coalition government on Monday at 1.30 p.m.

While the Congress elected Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam as its Legislature Party leader, the BJP elected the former Union Minister, Chaman Lal Gupta, as its leader in the Assembly.

Soon after his arrival here from Srinagar, Mr. Abdullah was accorded a rousing reception by thousands of his supporters.

He was later formally elected leader of the National Conference’s legislature party.

The former Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, who represented two constituencies of Hazratbal and Sonwar in the Assembly, was present at the meeting. He proposed Mr. Omar Abdullah’s name, which was seconded by 25 MLAs.

Accompanied by senior leaders Abdur Rahim Rather, S.S. Salathia and D.S. Rana, Mr. Omar Abdullah went to the Raj Bhavan to meet the Governor. Congress MLAs also met here in the presence of Pradesh Congress chief Saifuddin Soz and AICC leaders Jitendar Diwedi, Vayalar Ravi, and Prithviraj Chauhan to elect the CLP leader. Prominent Gujjar leader and MLA Surankot Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam was later elected the CLP leader.

MLAs Ghulam Hassan Mir from the Democratic Party (Nationalist) and Hakim Yasin from the People’s Democratic Front, who have extended their support to the Congress, were present.

Later Mr. Soz, Mr. Chauhan and Mr. Aslam called on the Governor and handed over the letter of support to Mr. Omar Abdullah.

Informed sources said the Congress had deferred a decision on appointing the Deputy Chief Minister as no consensus could be achieved on the names. The names of Chowdhary Mohammad Aslam, Tara Chand and the former Chief Secretary, B.R. Kundal, were making the rounds.

The BJP legislators, at a meeting, unanimously elected Chaman Lal Gupta as their leader and Jugal Kishore the deputy.

NC MLAs Abdur Rahim Rather and Surjit Singh Salathia and Congress nominees Tara Chand, Taj Mohiuddin and Nawang Rigzin will take oath as Ministers on Monday.

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