The Congress has decided to join the coalition government in J&K headed by National Conference chief Omar Abdullah.
The Congress has decided to join the coalition government in J&K headed by National Conference chief Omar Abdullah. In a break from the rotation formula followed during its alliance with the PDP, the Congress and the NC have decided to adopt the Maharashtra model, wherein the chief minister will be from the bigger party, the NC, while the post of deputy chief minister along with other important portfolios will go the Congress.
The shadow of the fast approaching Lok Sabha elections compelled the Congress to stitch an alliance quickly and prevent any crisis. Expectedly, the party high command decided to join hands with the National Conference that has emerged as the single largest party in the elections. A senior Congress leader connected with J&K developments did not rule out possibility of a pre-poll alliance with the NC for the Lok Sabha elections.
Another clinching factor was the fact that the two parties together cross the magic figure of 44 that would not have been the case with the Congress-PDP combine. “It is better not to depend on independent MLAs for obvious reasons,” Omar clarified.
The go-ahead for the new alliance between the two parties came after hour long meeting at Congress chief’s residence between chief minister designate Omar Abdullah, Sonia Gandhi, Prithviraj Chauhan, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Saifuddin Soz. The issue was clinched within moments of the leaders assembling, with Sonia clarifying that joining hands with the NC was the only viable option. The PDP had made last-minute efforts to block the NC-Congress tie-up by offering a free hand to the Congress with full term chief ministership.
The 38-year old Omar will be the youngest chief minister of J&K.
He will also have the rare distinction of being the third generation CM from the Abdullah family. His grandfather Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah had earlier been the CMs of the state.
Apart from the six decade old ties between Nehru-Gandhi and Abdullah families, Omar’s personal relationship with AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi also facilitated and early resolution of the coalition formation although the Abdullah junior sought to underplay this factor.
A beaming Omar later said that he would head the government and that a committee of senior leaders of the two parties would be soon set up to go into the nitty-gritty of government formation and allocation of portfolios. One central leader would represent the Congress and a few from the state while Omar clarified that some of his senior colleagues would represent the NC.
In all probability, the Congress nominee for deputy chief minister’s post would be from Jammu region and Sham Sharma, a two-time MLA and brother of sitting MP from Jammu Madan Lal, is being tipped for the post.
While former chief minister Azad is unlikely to be the deputy CM under a much younger CM, most of the senior Congress leaders of Jammu region have lost the election. Omar also indicated that senior leaders like Azad and Soz becoming part of his ministry was unlikely.
The new chief minister is likely to be sworn in along with a small team in the next couple with a full-fledged cabinet to follow at the end of Muharram in the second week of January.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}