Congress-NC coalition will prove everlasting: Farooq Abdullah

SRINAGAR: Noting that both Congress and National Conference have a secular outlook, NC patron Farooq Abdullah on Tuesday hoped that the agreement reached between the parties to form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir "will prove everlasting".

"We (NC-Congress) have already been cooperating with each other in the past because both parties have secular outlook and I am confident the agreement between the two parties will prove everlasting," Farooq told reporters at his residence here.

He said the two parties were together during the times of first prime minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah. "I as Chief Minister have done good things for the people with the assistance of Congress."

Welcoming the coalition between his party and the Congress, Farooq said what is necessary is to work together for betterment of people in the state.

"There is a serious and cronic problem of unemployment among youth. Electricity is being supplied to the people for limited period, roads are in bad shape, there is need for constructing new hospitals and primary health centres in villages. This is a continuing process," Farooq said.

He said there is need for working for better relations between India and Pakistan and involve separatists in the dialogue process for resolution of Kashmir issue.

"For resolution of Kashmir issue it is imperative to make separatists a stake holder in the dialogue process," Farooq said, adding he will go to Delhi and talk to the central leadership in this connection.