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Tuesday, Dec 30, 2008
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It will be Omar

Shujaat Bukhari

Farooq Abdullah steps aside; Congress sends positive signals

PHOTO: AFP

the winner: National Conference president Omar Abdullah being greeted by a supporter in Srinagar on Monday. —

SRINAGAR: The former Chief Minister and National Conference patron, Farooq Abdullah, on Monday paved the way for his son and party president Omar Abdullah to become the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

On Sunday, Dr. Abdullah hinted at the choice of Mr. Omar Abdullah as the chief ministerial candidate, but changed the statement late in the night. He told a news channel, “You are talking to the next Chief Minister of the State.”

However, he told reporters at his residence on Monday that he had made up his mind to leave the slot for his son. “I will recommend to the party that Omar Abdullah be our chief ministerial candidate. I will pursue my career at the national and international levels. Jammu and Kashmir is a small canvas for me.”

Dr. Abdullah said young and old leaders would put in joint efforts to make the party strong and fulfil the needs of people. “I will be the party chief. Omar will lead the State and he is being liked by the people more than me.”

The NC had emerged the single largest party with 28 seats in the 87-member House. The PDP finished second with 21 seats and the Congress got 17 seats.

Mr. Omar Abdullah confirmed that he is the chief ministerial candidate. “Yes, I will be the chief ministerial candidate for the party. The decision in this regard was taken by the party’s legislative committee,” he told reporters at his residence.

He said they were hopeful that a Congress-NC alliance would materialise. “It will take a couple of days to finalise things there. You will see an NC-Congress coalition very soon.”

“I had not dreamed that I will be given an opportunity to lead the State. Now it is final. I will try my best to come up to the expectations of people,” he said.

He thanked both the people who voted and those who stayed away. “When I say people, I mean both those who voted in our favour and those who boycotted. I am thankful to both. I hope those who stayed away will vote for us next time,” he said.

Focus on autonomy

He reiterated that his party would continue to strive for greater autonomy for the State. “There is no change in our stand vis-a-vis political problem. We will continue to strive for the implementation of autonomy, which we believe is the viable solution to the Kashmir issue.”

PTI reports from New Delhi: Mr. Omar Abdullah told reporters on his arrival in New Delhi that his party had got “positive signals” from the Congress on government formation.

“The NC has got very positive signals from the Congress. Otherwise, I would not have come to Delhi,” Mr. Abdullah said. He is scheduled to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

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