Cong settles for dy CM in J&K, NC to enter UPA
NC and Cong finalised the contours of the new J&K govt.
By ET Bureau |
NEW DELHI: The National Conference and the Congress on Friday finalised the contours of the new Jammu and Kashmir government. Mr Omar Abdullah, who will take charge of the new government on January 5 will accommodate a Congress leader as the deputy chief minister. Shyam Lal Sharma, a MLA from the Jammu region, is the front runner for the post.
The new government will have equal representation for both the parties. On January 5, three each from the NC and the Congress will be sworn in.
The NC���s entry into the UPA will set the stage for PDP���s departure from the ruling alliance at the Centre. The Congress has also changed the nature of political coexistence in Jammu and Kashmir by not insisting on the power-sharing agreement that it had with the PDP. This means Mr Abdullah will be the chief minister for the next six years.
���The rotation issue did come up during the discussion but Congress President Sonia Gandhi was kind enough to understand the point of view that rotation was damaging to the state and created uncertainty and confusion,��� Mr Abdullah told reporters here. He was replying to queries if the new coalition will be on the lines of the PDP-Congress coalition.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee were against the idea of rotating the chief ministership between the two parties. A section of the Congress even wanted the Congress offer ���outside��� support to the NC. But with the state leadership not amenable to the idea, the Congress gave the go ahead for participation in the government.
At a meeting here on Friday, Mr Abdullah and his colleagues had discussions with Union ministers A K Antony and Saifuddin Soz, former J&K CM Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress in-charge for J&K affairs Prithviraj Chavan and Congress President���s political secretary Ahmad Patel. The government will have a ���joint mechanism��� to monitor its performance.
Mr Mukherjee is expected to convene a meeting of Congress and NC leaders to work out a CMP for the new government.
On its part, NC has already sought permission from the Speaker to shift to the ruling benches. The two parties are also expected to work out seat-sharing for the coming Lok Sabha polls soon.
The new government will have equal representation for both the parties. On January 5, three each from the NC and the Congress will be sworn in.
The NC���s entry into the UPA will set the stage for PDP���s departure from the ruling alliance at the Centre. The Congress has also changed the nature of political coexistence in Jammu and Kashmir by not insisting on the power-sharing agreement that it had with the PDP. This means Mr Abdullah will be the chief minister for the next six years.
���The rotation issue did come up during the discussion but Congress President Sonia Gandhi was kind enough to understand the point of view that rotation was damaging to the state and created uncertainty and confusion,��� Mr Abdullah told reporters here. He was replying to queries if the new coalition will be on the lines of the PDP-Congress coalition.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee were against the idea of rotating the chief ministership between the two parties. A section of the Congress even wanted the Congress offer ���outside��� support to the NC. But with the state leadership not amenable to the idea, the Congress gave the go ahead for participation in the government.
At a meeting here on Friday, Mr Abdullah and his colleagues had discussions with Union ministers A K Antony and Saifuddin Soz, former J&K CM Ghulam Nabi Azad, Congress in-charge for J&K affairs Prithviraj Chavan and Congress President���s political secretary Ahmad Patel. The government will have a ���joint mechanism��� to monitor its performance.
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Mr Mukherjee is expected to convene a meeting of Congress and NC leaders to work out a CMP for the new government.
On its part, NC has already sought permission from the Speaker to shift to the ruling benches. The two parties are also expected to work out seat-sharing for the coming Lok Sabha polls soon.
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