SRINAGAR: The three-day stalemate over distribution of portfolios in the coalition Government of Jammu and Kashmir ended on Saturday, with senior People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader Muzaffer Hussain Beigh resigning from the post of Deputy Chief Minister. His party recalled him from the Council of Ministers on August 31.

Mr. Beigh said at a press conference that his aim was not to destabilise the coalition Government or harm the party. "I will call on Chief Minister and request him to relieve me as Minister and Deputy Chief Minister."

Mr. Beigh said, "I was surprised to hear about the party's decision, as on August 30 my party president wrote to the Chief Minister reposing faith in me as Leader of the Legislature Party. On August 3,1 the party, according to the president, lost faith in me."

Considered number three in the PDP, Mr. Beigh said he was surprised that he was not informed of the decision.

"I will make public the compulsions and conspiracies at an opportune time. This is not the right time. If I do it now and give you the details of dirty politics you may say he is talking out of anger," he said.

Mr. Beigh said he was not party to Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's decision to retain him as Finance and Planning Minister despite the PDP's recommendation to change his portfolio. "Mr Azad told me that he took this decision carefully and he wanted to retain me."

On PDP founder and former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, he said: "What I will do is that I will never abuse him. I have once treated him as a father and I will continue to do so even if we part ways. The Mufti is a big leader and has a role in the overall political scenario of Kashmir."

On his future course of action, he said he would consult his constituency people on whether to continue as MLA and in the PDP.

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