Dissolution of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly not a coincidence: Omar Abdullah

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah Wednesday said Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik's decision to dissolve the state assembly within minutes of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti staking claim for government formation "cannot be a coincidence". In a sudden development, the Jammu and Kashmir Governor tonight dissolved the state assembly, which has been in suspended animation, shortly after rival alliances staked claim to form the government.

"JKNC has been pressing for assembly dissolution for 5 months now. It can't be a coincidence that within minutes of Mehbooba Mufti Sahiba letter staking claim the order to dissolve the assembly suddenly appears," Omar said in a series of tweets.

Earlier, Mehbooba in a tweet said she was not able to fax her letter to the Raj Bhawan for staking claim for government formation.



"J&K Raj Bhavan needs a new fax machine urgently," Omar quipped after PDP president went public with her letter on Twitter.

Earlier Wednesday, Sajad Lone, leader of the People's Conference, also staked claim to form a government in the state with the support of the 25-legislator strong BJP and "more than 18" other lawmakers.

In a letter to Governor Satya Pal Malik, Lone, whose party has two MLAs, including himself, said he has the support of more than required number of legislators in the assembly to form a government.

After the PDP's claim to form the government, former deputy chief minister and senior J&K BJP leader Kavinder Gupta said the efforts are being made on "instructions of Pakistan" and urged the people to thwart the attempt.

The fast-paced developments began Tuesday with disgruntled PDP leader Muzaffar Hussain Beigh hitting out at a possible alliance between his party and National Conference saying "it will be a government of one religion" and people and Jammu and Ladakh regions would not like it.

Despite opposition from some quarters, the attempts at government formation by PDP, NC and Congress intensified on Wednesday and culminated in dissolution of the assembly by the Governor.

Governor's rule was clamped in the state on June 19 for a 6-month period following the collapse of the PDP-BJP coalition government after the saffron party withdrew support. The state assembly was also kept in suspended animation so that political parties could explore the possibility of forming a new government.