Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday clarified that there would be no rotation of Chief Ministership between the National Conference and the Congress.
He said: “The matter had been settled once and for all by the high commands of the Indian National Congress and the National Conference before entering into the alliance for running the affairs of the State jointly in a coalition government in the State.”
His statement came in the wake of demands made by a section of the Congress that it should be given the post of Chief Minister for three years, as was done in case of the People's Democratic Party (PDP)-Congress alliance from 2002-08. Mr. Abdullah took over as Chief Minister on January 5, 2009.
Putting speculations at rest, Mr. Abdullah told a news conference here: “I, as the then president of the National Conference, and Sonia Gandhi, president of the Indian National Congress, discussed the issue threadbare and made it clear that there will be no rotational Chief Minister in the State,” he said. “The decision to this effect is final between the two parties taken at the highest level.”
He said that any statement on the subject could be the individual view of the person, but it would have no bearing on the decision taken by the National Conference and Congress high command at the Central level.
‘Complete cohesion'
Mr. Abdullah said the coalition government worked in complete cohesion to accomplish the development agenda it had drawn for the equitable development of all regions of the State.
“During 2010, as many as 25 Cabinet meetings took place and there was no raised voice, threat of walkout, or any other such dissent between the coalition partners,” he said.
He added that the alliance between Congress and National Conference was a post-poll coalition.
“We have fought elections against each other as such individual views sometimes surface, but these have no bearing on the running of the government or the policy decisions made regarding the coalition government.”
On a question about Congress Minister Sham Lal Sharma's controversial statement regarding ‘azadi' for Kashmir, Mr. Abdullah said: “This is no place to comment on individual statements. If his party has no problem with him, why should I have any?”
‘BJP creating controversies'
Blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party for creating controversies and disturbing peace in Jammu and Kashmir, Mr. Abdullah said the party habitually ignited fire for political mileage.
He said the national flag would be hoisted at all the district headquarters, government buildings, and at police and Army establishments, besides at the Bakhshi Stadium in the heart of Srinagar by a Minister.
“Does the BJP consider this all irrelevant and the hoisting of a flag by an individual of their party at Lal Chowk relevant?” he said.
Mr. Abdullah told the BJP leadership that it would be held responsible for any consequences if it disturbed peace in the Valley.
‘No other way'
National Conference president and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah said that dialogue was the only way forward to resolve all issues relating to Jammu and Kashmir. He urged Hurriyat leader Mirwaiz Umar Farooq to initiate talks with the Centre.
Dr. Abdullah said the issues pertaining to the State had to be resolved by the people of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh through a dialogue process in which the participation of people living across the Line of Control was also required.
He said he favoured dialogue between India and Pakistan in this direction and stressed on building confidence and friendly ties between the two neighbours for the larger interests of peace and development in the State.
Replying to a question on the Mirwaiz's views regarding the failure of the United Nations in addressing the Jammu and Kashmir issue, Dr. Abdullah said that though he could comment as a Union Minister, as president of the National Conference he agreed with the views of the Mirwaiz.
“The U.N., despite being useful in so many ways at the global level, has failed in resolving many issues,” he added.
