Four Independent MLAs declared their support to the National Conference (NC) on Thursday helping the party to cross the majority mark in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly. This coalition has taken Omar Abdullah’s NC to a position with a strength of 46 in the 90-member assembly after the recently concluded elections, where the NC won 42 seats. The NC’s Congress and CPI(M) partners offered six and one seats, respectively, and boosted the coalition majority.
Given this new political development, Omar Abdullah reaffirmed that negotiations continue with the Congress party, and it is being offered 24 hours to decide to support the NC’s formation of government. Earlier in the day, the National Conference legislature party unanimously elected Abdullah as its leader, as stated by NC president Farooq Abdullah. In a statement, Omar Abdullah also reciprocated the trust placed in him and his party by the NC legislators that enabled him to demand the right to a new government in Jammu and Kashmir.
The Congress party MLAs are to meet on Friday afternoon in Srinagar with JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra to choose a leader for the Congress Legislature Party. The above-selected leader’s name will be presented to the chairman and the remainder of the party leadership for ratification.
However, the Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party(PDP) has blamed the NC and CPI(M) for indulging in acts of hooliganism after the results of the election. Iltija Mufti, who was contested from Srigufwara Bijbehara and lost to the National Conference’s Bashir Veeri, accused NC workers of threatening the PDP women. Independent MLA Chowdhury Mohd Akaram, representing Surankote, said that he had not considered forming an alliance with the BJP, although, he added, he had been approached by several parties.
He specifically pointed out that any eventuality of an NC-Congress government in the state will have to first pass a resolution.
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