Will join govt after statehood: Cong
Even as the Congress had forged a pre-poll alliance with the National Conference (NC), it did not enter the government as it was ‘unhappy’ with the Centre for not granting statehood to Jammu and Kashmir even after Assembly poll.
After the results of the elections were declared, the Congress was left embarrassed as it was able to win only six seats in the entire Union Territory. It won only one seat from Rajouri in the Jammu region. It has been learnt that the party was demanding at least two berths in the Cabinet, but the NC insisted on one.
When Omar Abdullah took oath as Chief Minister on Wednesday, the absence of Congress MLAs from the oath took everyone by surprise. In an official statement later, J&K Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra said the party had strongly demanded from the Centre to restore statehood to J&K, “besides, the Prime Minister has time and again in public meetings promised the same”.
The party chief added: “But statehood has not been restored to J&K, we are unhappy and are therefore not joining the ministry at the moment. We will continue to fight for the restoration of statehood.”
Even as Congress did not join the government, its top leadership, including party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, senior leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra attended the swearing-in ceremony.
CLP leader and Dooru MLA GA Mir said people had given mandate to the alliance for the restoration of statehood. “This was the agenda of the alliance. Even PM has assured multiple times that statehood would be restored after the elections.”
Proud moment for Jammu region
It was a proud moment when for the first time in history a Deputy Chief Minister was inducted from the Pir Panjal region of Jammu division into the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet. Surinder Choudhary took oath as the Deputy CM in Omar Abdullah-led government as one of the two Hindu members of the Cabinet. After taking oath, Choudhary said the priorities of the Omar Abdullah government would be to bridge the vacuum and address people’s issues.
