Hours to go for Nationwide Convention (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah to take oath as the brand new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, the Congress has taken a name to remain out of the federal government and supply exterior assist.
Whereas sources confirmed that the Congress won’t be part of the federal government, the highest management of the occasion was tight-lipped over the problem.
Given {that a} J&Okay authorities can have solely 9 ministers, together with the CM, Omar was anticipated to half at finest with one Cupboard berth for the Congress, which received simply six seats within the Meeting polls.
Sources additionally stated that with pulls and pressures on him from totally different quarters, plus the necessity to accommodate numerous ethnic teams and areas, Omar has determined to take oath with solely 5 ministers Wednesday, with the choice on others deferred for now.
Talking to PTI Wednesday morning, Omar stated: “The Congress isn’t out of the cupboard. It’s for them to resolve, and we’ve been in discussions with them… Some vacancies can be stored open as we’re in talks with Congress.”
Denying any rift with the Congress, he added: “Every thing is nicely between the NC and Congress, in any other case (Mallikarjun) Kharge ji, Rahul (Gandhi) ji, and senior Congress leaders wouldn’t be coming right here (for the swearing-in).”
By the way, a photograph shared by the NC of Farooq and Omar Abdullah with INDIA leaders Wednesday morning didn’t function the Congress leaders.
Sources within the Congress cited a number of causes for the occasion not becoming a member of the federal government, J&Okay’s first in six years and which might have seen the occasion in energy after 10 years right here.
A Congress chief stated the dismal efficiency of the occasion within the Meeting elections, particularly within the Hindu-dominant Jammu area, the place it was anticipated to hold the load of its alliance with the NC, was one of many major elements.
“The occasion’s efficiency within the elections was beneath the mark, which was not anticipated until even a month in the past,” the occasion chief stated. “In such a state of affairs, it might not have been applicable for us to be part of the federal government. Our efficiency was so poor that it doesn’t appear proper to be part of the Cupboard.”
On the similar time, the chief stated that the occasion couldn’t attain a consensus on who the only minister can be, confirming that the NC had provided them a berth. Given its numbers, the Congress is in no place to discount for extra.
“We’ve got six MLAs, and 4 of them have been Cupboard ministers previously. So it was troublesome for us to decide on one title,” the chief stated. “That’s additionally a cause the occasion determined to remain exterior the federal government.”
The chief added that the Congress would ideally have wished to call a Hindu face as its consultant within the authorities, however there isn’t any Hindu in its tally of six.
The 4 Congress MLAs who’ve been ministers previously embrace PCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra, former PCC chief Ghulam Ahmad Mir, one other former PCC chief Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed, and Nizam-ud-din Bhat.
