KT NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, Mar 24: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah met the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi here today to discuss and iron the differences between Congress and National Conference in the state, particularly on the issues related to inter-district recruitment and local bodies polls.
Relaible sources claimed that as the duo discussed matters relating to the functioning of the coalition government in the state, the issue of infighting within Congress too cropped up.
"Omar minced no words in telling UPA chairperson that the Congress factionalism was affecting the functioning of the coalition government too in the state.
The infighting within the party was taking a turn for the worst, which is a cause of concern for the coalition, he is reported to have conveyed the UPA chairperson, while appreciating her wholehearted support to his government in the state," sources added.
Although Omar was cautioned by his father and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr Farooq Abdullah vis-a-vis sharing concern our infighting within Congress with UPA chairperson on the pretext that it could be interpreted in a wrong manner, but Omar went ahead, the sources asserted.
"Yet another major bone of contention between the two coalition partners i.e., inter district recruitment which is causing heartburn among the two coalition partners at this moment too dominated their deliberations," they added.
Both the partners have serious differences over this issue which is creating uproar in the state legislature with the members from Kashmir cutting across party affiliations seeking ban on inter-district recruitment.
However the ban would directly hit the interests of Congress in the state as the ban would affect the reservation of SC and ST population in the state.
The major concentration of both these categories is in Jammu region.
While the consensus has been evolved on the issue of SC, differences still persist on account of ST popualtion.
Both these groups constitute major chunk of Congress vote bank in the Jammu region, which it does not want to lose particularly when the local bodies' poll schedule has already been announced.
The sources added that Congress also wants that Panchayat polls should be delayed, this issue too was discussed by the duo.
Omar briefed UPA chairperson about the political, social and developmental aspects of Jammu & Kashmir.
During half an hour one to one meeting, the two leaders also discussed the forthcoming local bodies elections and the strategy of the coalition to face them.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah thanked the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi about the support the state government received from the UPA government in the last fourteen months and assured her that National Conference would work hand in hand with the Congress to further strengthen the coalition in the state for the peace, development and harmony in the state.
Omar also congratulated Sonia Gandhi vis-a-vis her commitment to see the Women’s Reservation Bill through in the Parliament.
He appreciated her commitment to this landmark piece of legislation and also offered the National Conference’s support to the said legislation.
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