Congress fumes over Omar Abdullah's BJP rendezvous, calls him 'power-hungry'

Srinagar: As outgoing Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and regional National Conference (NC) leader, Omar Abdullah, has reportedly met senior BJP leaders Amit Shah and Arun Jaitley in Delhi to discuss possibilities of government formation in the state, a fumed Congress and an ally for six years has without naming him called him and his party as “power hungry”.

Congress also said that the BJP-NC combination at the helm of affairs  would be a “short-sighted political arrangement” that would “certainly attract a social commotion and spoil the gains from a credible, free and fair election concluded recently.” [BJP general secretary Ram Madhav has, however, denied any such meetings have taken place. He tweeted, “News about BJP leaders meeting NC leadership in Delhi baseless”

J&K PCC chief, Prof. Saifuddin Soz in a statement issued in Srinagar said, “It is a worrying situation in which certain power hungry –political groups and individuals are trying to subvert the democratic verdict of the people in the just concluded election to the J&K legislative Assembly.” The Congress has already offered to extend its support to Jammu and Kashmir Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) which emerged as the single largest part by winning 28 seats in the elections. But the two would still need four MLAs to make up the numbers. A party or alliance needs 44 seats in the 87-member Assembly to form government.

The NC which was till Wednesday evening speaking in many voices which included extending support to the PDP in government formation and, at the same time, proclaiming it will not take the lead for talks on the issue on the plea “Government formation is the responsibility of the BJP and the PDP because they have more numbers than the National Conference” is now holding discussions with the BJP. Mr. Abdullah who has delayed his visit to Londonwhere his parents have undergone surgery recently has called some of senior NC leaders and his close associates to Delhi for consultations and to assist him in talks with the BJP leadership.

Reports emanating from Delhi and NC and BJP sources here said that the BJP is adamant on having its Chief Minister in the state for full six years term but the NC want a rotational Chief Minister besides three major portfolios. As the two sides have agreed to continue with the discussions, the BJP has conveyed to Mr. Abdullah that a final decision will be taken only after Mr. Jaitley meets state party leaders in the state. Mr. Jaitley and Mr Madhav on Thursday arrived in Jammu for a meeting of the elected legislators. Though the BJP has not yet closed other options, the party sources said that it is reluctant to go with the PDP as there are many ideological differences between two and would, therefore, continue to explore the possibility for forming a government with the NC.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti had on Wednesday said her party "is in no hurry" as it assesses likely partners. But party sources said that though its’ “natural choice” remains the Congress party, the two together fall short of four seats to reach the magic number of 44 to form the government. One of the Independents, Hakeem Muhammad Yasin, it was banking upon has already announced his support for the BJP.

The Congress has, meanwhile, insisted that the PDP should be allowed to form the new government what it says in deference to public verdict. “As is common knowledge and perception, a suave, experienced and forward -looking politician like Mufti Muhammad Sayeed should be allowed to lead a coalition government in the State with the support of other like-minded parties and groups,” said Mr. Soz adding “That way alone the people’s verdict would truly be respected.”

He said that the State has experienced “blackest periods” of its recent history through armed militancy and very recent devastating floods that left thousands of people homeless and needy. “It is a time when a government should be at the helm to reconstruct the economy, rehabilitate a suffering mass of people and ensure governance that brings relief in the hearts and minds of the people,” he said. He also said that the RSS – BJP leadership would be well-advised “to resist the temptation of cobbling a coalition that only deepens the polarization on religious and regional considerations, which is, to say the least, detrimental to the integrity of the State.” 

He further said, “The RSS-BJP leadership should also appreciate the sensitivity of this border state and not indulge in any kind of horse-trading, giving priority to the parochial interests. That kind of short-sighted political arrangement would certainly attract a social commotion and spoil the gains from a credible, free and fair election concluded recently.”