Amid reports of a rift in the National Conference and Congress alliance in Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said all was well between the two parties. Ahead of his oath today, Omar told news agency PTI that days when there used to be 40-45 ministers in a cabinet are bygones.
This came hours after Congress expressed displeasure over being offered just one cabinet berth after it had demanded three.
In an exclusive conversation with CNN-News18, leaders of the Congress party had said they would not be a part of the Jammu and Kashmir government if the National Conference remains adamant.
They also said they may extend support to the government from the outside and would focus on restoring the statehood of the Union Territory.
While a final decision on the part of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party chief Mallikarjun Kharge was awaited, Omar Abdullah said, “Congress is not out of the cabinet. It’s for them to decide, and we have been in discussions with them, around the fact that, as a Union Territory, with a uni-cameral house. We don’t have an upper house, therefore, the size of the government is severely restricted.”
“Gone are the days when you would see 40-45 ministers. I remember that time when God blessed the soul of (former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and Mehbooba Mufti’s father) Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, almost the many MLAs he had in 2002 were ministers and had ministerial ranks, that’s not the case this time,” Abdullah said.
“I will not be filling all the nine vacancies in the council of ministers. Some vacancies will be kept to be filled, as I said we are in talks with Congress. Let’s see how we go,” he said.
On being asked if all is not well between the Congress and the National Conference, Omar said, “No, why is not all well? If all was not well, Kharge ji, Rahul ji, and senior Congress leaders would not be coming here. Their presence here is indicative of the fact that the alliance is strong, and we will work for the people (of the state).”
Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, days after the National Conference-Congress alliance won the maiden assembly elections held after the abrogation of Article 370.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered to Abdullah’s chosen ministers by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.
Comments
0 comment