Cong says no decision yet on joining Omar Abdullah-led NC govt in J&K

Srinagar: The Congress party said on Thursday that it has not yet decided to join the Omar Abdullah-headed government in Jammu and Kashmir.

The party was reacting to media reports that the ruling National Conference (NC) had approached Congress to join the government.

Congress General Secretary in-charge for Jammu and Kashmir, Dr Syed Naseer Hussain, said the party has not taken any decision on joining the Council of Ministers in the union territory, IANS reported.

Hussain said that no decision has been taken so far on the issue. Reports here said earlier that the NC has approached Congress with a fresh offer of a berth in the J&K Council of Ministers.

Sources also said that the J&K unit of Congress is not averse to joining the government, but is seeking two berths.

They added that the party is open to negotiations on the second berth and would like a suitable adjustment for one of its legislators if NC is averse to the demand of two cabinet berths for Congress.

The J&K unit of the Congress party is also pushing for the formation of a coordination committee of alliance partners to ensure the party’s role in the decision-making process.

According to sources, the Congress high command has discussed its terms of joining the government with the NC and is awaiting their response.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had said that the reshuffle in the council of ministers would take place after August 15 at the ‘appropriate time’. Reports said that, in addition to reallocation of departments to the existing ministers, CM Abdullah was also planning to induct some new faces from his party to improve governance.

In the 90-member J&K Legislative Assembly, the NC has 41 members, the BJP 29, Congress six, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) four, CPI(M) one, People's Conference (PC) one, Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) one, AAP one and six Independents.

Of these, the Congress with six MLAs, CPI(M) one and two Independents are supporting the NC government.