‘SOZ SAHIB IS MY POLITICAL MENTOR’ KT NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI: Finally divorcing the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) and choosing National Conference (NC) as new partner, the Congress party on Tuesday apointed NC president Omar Abdullah as new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Though nitty-gritty of the alliance will be discussed in few days, sources here said it would be a Maharastra-type alliance with full six year term to Abdullah and a deputy chief minister from the Congress party preferably from the Jammu region.
Insiders in the Congress party said Akhnoor MLA Sham Lal Sharma may get the Number 2 crown, because dice seems heavily loaded against other two competitors Raman Bhalla and Tara Chand.
Congress president Sonia Gandhi had already made up her mind to switch up alliance in favour of the NC once the results were announced on Sunday.
The Congress core group including the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and other top leaders approved her choice Tuesday morning.
Immediately after the core group meeting, Omar Abdullah drove to 10-Janpath official residence of Mrs Gandhi to formally seek her support.
Emerging out of the meeting, Congress general secretary incharge Prithviraj Chauhan said that Abdullah had proposed an alliance government between the Congress and the NC, which was accepted by the Congress president.
He said representatives of both parties would sit together in few days to sort out details like choosing ministers, distribution of portfolios etc.
Since the new assembly has to be constituted by January 10, when governor rule comes to an end, Omar Abdullah said he would fly to Jammu early Wednesday to fix an appointment with Governor N N Vohra to stake claim for power.
"Due to Muharram we may have a small function where only I will take oath.
After we will have big function where my cabinet will be sworn in," he said.
The NC, which bagged 28 seats to become the single largest party, and the Congress with a haul of 17 may not need support of independents and other smaller parties.
The combine has 45 seats, one seat more that the number refquired for a majority in a House of 87.
Among others who attended the meeting included former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union Minister and J&K Congress chief Saifuddin Soz and Rahul Gandhi.
Scion of Kashmir's 'first family', the Abdullahs, Omar, who is known for his trademark extempore speeches, started his political career as an MP in the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and was re-elected a year later.
He went on to become the youngest union minister at the age of 29 under the then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
Omar, who was educated in Mumbai and Scotland and has Masters degree in Business Administration, said Congress will be a part of the government and would not merely give outside support.
"I look forward to working closely with the Congress for the welfare and development of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," said Omar, who made his debut to the state assembly winning the Ganderbal seat which he had lost in 2002.
Omar Abdullah, favoured continuation of the peace process in the state.
"I am always in favour of dialogue and I want it to continue," Omar said responding to questions after a 20-minutes meeting with Union Home Minister P Chidambaram .
Describing his meeting with Chidambaram as a courtesy call, Omar said he sought support, help and advise from the Home ministry as the mandate of the people was for peace and progress.
The NC president said Chidambaram assured him all necessary help so that the state could get rid of its problems.
"The Home Minister said both of us now will work in tandem," he said.
"The clearest and best formula and formulation was an alliance of NC with the Congress as this required no assistance from any other quarter," Omar said.
To a query as to when he would take the oath as the new CM, Omar said it would be decided only after a meeting with Governor N N Vohra.
Soz said it was a great opportunity for Omar to provide good governance to the state.
Earlier after meeting with AICC president Sonia, Omar told the media that Congress would very much be a part of his government.
"Let me make it clear that since I would not be corrupt hence I would have no hesitation in throwing out a minister if he indulges in corrupt practices.
Anti defection laws are very strict hence my government is not going to fall if the minister is dropped.
I would expect the Congress to do the same," Omar Abdullah said.
One of the first tasks that he undertook was to visit Saifuddin Soz and express his gratitude.
"I must say that Soz Sahib has been a great source of strength,"he said.
Abdullah clarified that he looked upon Soz as his political mentor.
"I decided not to have a team of my choice till I get elected," he said.
Giving details of his meeting with Sonia Gandhi, he said that the Congress president hoped that the good work by the Azad's government would be continued by 'my government.' "We are setting up a committee which would finalize names of those who would join the government.
I do not think that Azad Sahib who headed the government would like to join me as deputy chief minister.
There would be a deputy chief minister from the Jammu region to remove the notion that there is difference between the two regions.
If there was a chief minister from Jammu then the deputy chief minister would have been from the valley," Abdullah said.
He denied that there was any directive from the Congress president for sharing power on a rotational basis.
" No such issue was discussed," he said.
Farooq Abdullah would be brought to Rajya Sabha, Omar indicated.
Omar said that it is his commitment to ensure that some Pandits reach the Upper house.
Omar complimented the people of the state for rising to the occasion and voting in large number defying that boycott call give by the militants.
"There are places where you have to walk for six hours to reach the place.
There are villages that need potable drinking water and electricity at a reasonable rate.
Mufti Sahib has offered to make Soz as chief minister without any conditions by giving outside support.
I would be happy if Soz became the chief minister," Abdullah said.
"One thing I must concede that while my predecessors had to deal with security issue, I do not have to do that as the number of violent incidents have gone down.
I am glad that both India and Pakistan have started softening their stand on Kashmir.
We have fought enough wars and no issue can be resolved by war.
Instead it would be nice to sit on a table and talk things out.
I hope the clouds of war would be over soon if one goes by the statement of the Pakistani army's chief of staff.," Omar blamed Mufti Mohammed Sayeed for a desperation to get back into power.
If the PDP claims that the Congress party should have consulted them then it is for the Congress party to clarify the stand.
"If BJP and PDP sit in opposition then it would be difficult for them to walk out on a single issue," Abdullah said with a broad smile.
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