Omar Abdullah’s MLAs fail to agree on ‘Save Afzal’ resolution

Consensus eluded the ruling National Conference (NC) over the ‘Save Afzal Guru’ resolution, which is scheduled to come up for discussions in J&K legislative assembly on Wednesday.

NC legislature party held its meeting on Sunday to discuss strategy for the session, which starts on Monday in Srinagar. With chief minister Omar Abdullah and his father, NC president Farooq Abdullah, out of the state, legislators couldn’t decide on the resolution.

“It is routine for our party to hold the legislature party meeting to discuss strategy for the assembly session,” senior party leader and J&K finance minister Abdul Raheem Rather said. On the ‘Save Afzal’ resolution, Rather said nothing was decided and it is premature to say anything. “Let the resolution come in the House,” he said.

NC’s dilemma stems from the fact that it is in alliance with the Congress in the state, and the party is treading cautiously as relations between the two have been strained.

On the other side, the main opposition, People’s Democratic Party, with 21 MLAs in the 89-member Lower House has decided to support the resolution submitted by the independent MLA from Langate, Sheikh Abdul Rasheed aka Engineer Rasheed.

Meanwhile, Congress said its legislators will participate in the discussion and take a decision on the floor of the House. “Our legislators will participate in the discussions, which are listed,” J&K Congress chief Saif-Uddin-Soz said.