Mufti meets Sonia, says CM’s post is no issue
Efforts to sew PDP-Cong coalition make headway

NEW DELHI, Oct 12: Efforts to sew a coalition between PDP and Congress in Jammu and Kashmir made headway tonight with Mufti Mohammed Sayeed meeting Sonia Gandhi to discuss Government formation even as Governor G C Saxena called PCC president Ghulam Nabi Azad for exploratory discussions by October 15.

PDP chief Sayeed, who arrived here declaring that Chief Ministership is a "non-issue" between the two parties, had a 45-minute meeting with Gandhi and may have a second round, possibly tomorrow.

Though there was no official word from the two sides on the nature of discussions between the two, it is understood that hard bargaining is on over claims for Chief Ministership with Congress not in a mood to easily yield because of its numerical superiority over PDP.

However, PDP is understood to be insisting that the top spot should go to the valley and on this ground its claims were stronger as all its 16 MLAs were from the Valley.

Before meeting Mufti, Sonia Gandhi held discussions with some senior party leaders including Ambika Soni and PCC chief Ghulam Nabi Azad, who postponed his visit to Srinagar following the PDP leader’s arrival here.

Congress sources also cited the campaign pledge that Jammu will get the chief ministership for its claim for the top post.

Talking informally to reporters, Soni dismissed suggestions that the Congress may form the Government without seeking the support of PDP.

She said the Congress was going in for coalition and that the party president was ascertaining the views of various like-minded parties.

Soni said the Governor has written a letter to Azad communicating his desire to have discussions before October 15 on the evolving political situation in the State.

"We exchanged ideas on the formation of a Government. We held detailed discussions," Sayeed told reporters after emerging out of the 45-minute meeting at Gandhi’s residence.

He said Congress and PDP were the major parties and they discussed how to bring other parties together for formation of the Government.

Before reporters could ask him whether the issue of Chief Ministership had been sorted out with Gandhi, Sayeed avoided a reply and got into his car in the midst of a heavy downpour.

Sayeed said the people of the State had "great expectations" as they had voted against the National Conference because of its "misrule".

Earlier on his arrival here from Srinagar, he said that Chief Ministership was a "non-issue" between them. A "strategy and a programme" would be evolved for forming a coalition Government, he said on his talks with Gandhi.

"The question of who will be the Chief Minister is a non-issue. There is no dearth of appropriate candidates as there are a galaxy of leaders in Congress and PDP," he said.

Sayeed, whose party has won 16 seats, said the Chief Minister will be decided through "mutual consultations."

The Congress-PDP combine have 36 seats and are short by eight to cross the half-way mark in a 87-member Assembly and have got the support of some independents.

With the focus of formation of the new Government in Jammu and Kashmir shifting to New Delhi, Sayeed said his party alone could not name anybody for Chief Ministership and the issue needed to be decided mutually by Congress, PDP and other supporting groups.

"The first priority is to form a non-National Conference Government as the people of the State have given a verdict against it and it needs to be honoured," he said adding an understanding and Common Minimum Programme (CMP) needed to be evolved between the coalition partners.

Sayeed said all the coalition partners had "own positions" and a common programme had to be evolved through consultations.

Stating that this was a "golden opportunity for the nation" to end violence in the state, the former Union Home Minister said "our emphasis is to restore peace with dignity and we have to work to ensure that."

"This may be the turning point for Jammu and Kashmir," he said.

Asked whether the Chief Minister should be from Congress, which has 20 MLAs, or PDP, which has only 16, he dismissed it as a "non-issue."

Sayeed said the people of the State, by voting against NC, had pinned hopes with the alternative and added that "we do not want to dash these."

He said the new dispensation had to "face challenges" to meet the expectations of the people as the State was going through a bad times.

"It is no bed of roses. There are difficult challenges which NC Government headed by Farooq Abdullah failed to meet," he said.

The PDP leader said the elections were held in a "fair and impartial" manner. (Agencies)

NC will strengthen itself: Omar

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 12: National Conference will strengthen itself at the grass root level and ensure that it is revitalized, said Mr Omar Abdullah, party president, adding the Party will with renewed vigour, work for the welfare of the people of the State and continue to fight for their rights.

While addressing a gathering of political workers today Mr Omar said he will; go back to the people with the message and ideals of Sher-i-Kashmir Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah and initiate a new ear of resurgence for the party. He said NC is a party of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and shall continue its tryst for peace in the State.

"It is an hour of test and he was confident that with their active support the party will emerge stronger and as in the past, face the present challenge valiantly" said Mr Omar while addressing the workers. He added that he was ready for making any sacrifice for the party and urged the workers also to gear themselves up for the challenges ahead.

Mr Omar said present set back to the NC Party at the hustings is a blessing in disguise and the party will introspect, think and act to re-emerge once again as a power to reckon with.

Reacting to a press report in a local daily about differences within the party, Mr Omar said, "none exists and none shall ever exist". He said National Conference is a disciplined party whose cadre has always worked under the party discipline. he said the strength of the party is in discipline and that needs to be preserved at all costs.

Mr Omar hoped that the new Government will be formed soon and that it will work for the betterment of the people of the State and fulfil all the poll promises made by the constituents.

NC WC meets today to review post-poll scenario

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 12: The 36 member Working Committee, the highest decision making body of National Conference (NC) will meet at Srinagar tomorrow to review the present political scenario in the State besides the reasons for the Party’s debacle in the just concluded State Assembly elections.

The Working Committee meeting will be chaired by NC patriarch, Mr Omar Abdullah and among others it will also be attended by the Party senior leader and acting Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah.

According to sources the meeting was scheduled to take place at 11 am tomorrow but as Dr Abdullah had visited Jammu today and he could not return to Srinagar in the evening due to bad weather the meeting was postponed to tomorrow afternoon.

Some senior leaders of the Party including provincial president, Jammu Mr Bodh Raj Bali left for Srinagar today to participate in tomorrow’s meeting, the sources said.

Confirming that Party Working Committee will meet tomorrow, the NC senior leader and Minister in outgoing Government of Dr Abdullah, Mr Ajay Sadhotra said the Working Committee meeting will review the situation in the State as well as the reasons for the Party’s debacle in the just concluded Assembly elections.

It may be recalled that NC’s strength has been reduced to 28 in this election from 68 members which the Party had in previous Assembly.

Meanwhile, a large number of Party leaders and workers called on Dr Abdullah at his residence during his visit today.

Prominent among them include Minister of Power, Mr S S Slathia, Minister for Rural Development, Mr Ajay Sadhotra and NC MLC Bhushan Lal Bhat.

Dr Abdullah while talking to his Party men had asked them to take this challenge boldly and go from door to door to look into the peoples problems.

He said we accept the verdict of people and the Party has no hindrance in sitting in opposition and leave ground for our opponents to form the Government.

However, he predicted that this Government will not work long as its leaders have many contradictions among themselves. "Let them work and see how many difficulties the NC had faced in running the Government under the trying circumstances".

Dr Abdullah also visited the residence of Mr Rashpaul Singh, the newly elected Party MLA from Kalakote to congratulate him for his success.

NC rebels record impressive showing, BJP rebels fail
22 sitting MLAs unseated in Jammu

By Sanjeev Pargal

JAMMU, Oct 12: A major anti-incumbency factor was noticed in just concluded Assembly elections in Jammu province where 22 sitting MLAs out of a total of 37 were unseated by the electorate. Only seven MLAs including four from the National Conference, two from Congress and one belonging to Panthers Party could retain their seats.

On the other, rebels of NC fared well in the polls while the rebels of BJP failed miserably at the hustings. Four NC rebels managed to win the election. Two sitting BJP MLAs including party’s senior vice president Hans Raj Dogra, who contested the election as a party rebel, forfeited their deposits.

An analysis of the elections revealed that a maximum number of 12 sitting MLA, who contested the election on NC mandate, lost the election. Three sitting MLAs each of BJP, Congress (I) and BSP too had to taste defeat. A total of six sitting members of the outgoing Assembly didn’t contest the election while two others had died last year.

Sitting MLAs of NC, who suffered defeat, were Surjit Singh Slathia (Vijaypur), Ajatshatru Singh (Nagrota), Govind Ram (Akhnoor) and Khalid Najeeb Suharwardhy (Doda), all Ministers, Deputy Speaker Ghulam Haider Sheikh (Bani), Sat Pal Lakhotra (Domana), R S Sharma (Nowshera), Prem Lal (Hiranagar), Jagjivan Lal (Reasi), Abdul Wahid Shan (Gool-Arnas), Farooq Mir (Banihal) and Qazi Jalal-ud-Din (Inderwal).

Three BJP MLAs, who couldn’t make it to the Assembly this time, included Ashok Khajuria (Jammu East), Prithvi Chand (Chenani) and Bali Bhagat (Ramban). Of them Prithvi Chand lost his deposit polling just 1710 votes. The BJP had a total of eight MLAs in the previous Assembly. Of them, Lala Shiv Charan Gupta (Udhampur) didn’t contest the election while Choudhary Chuni Lal (Suchetgarh) had died last year. Two BJP MLAs—Prem Lal and Piara Singh had defected to the NC while Hans Raj Dogra contested the election as an independent from Jammu West after being denied mandate by the party and got mere 1211 votes to finish seventh.

Three Congress (I) MLAs, who were defeated in the polls, were Balbir Singh (Billawar), Ashok Sharma (Kalakote) and Jagdish Dubey (Bishnah). BSP state unit president Sheikh Abdul Rehman (Bhaderwah), Som Nath (Samba) and Sagar Chand (Kathua) were sitting BSP legislators, who lost the poll.

Seven sitting Assembly members, who had the distinction of again making it to the Lower House, were Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Tara Chand (Chhamb), Harshdev Singh (Panthers Party-Ramnagar), Lal Singh (Cong-Basohli), Ajay Sadhotra, (Marh), G M Jan (Poonch), Mushtaq Bukhari (Surankote) and Abdul Gani Malik (Gulabgarh), all National Conference.

A total of six sitting MLAs in Jammu region didn’t contest the election. They were Ram Chand Bhagat (RS Pura), Piara Singh (Gandhi Nagar), Nissar Khan (Mendhar), M S Tariq (Rajouri), Choudhary Mohd Hussain (Darhal) and Lala Shiv Charan Gupta (Udhampur). While Ram Chand Bhagat was denied mandate by the BSP for hobnobbing with NC, Nissar Khan and Tariq were denied mandate by NC. Mohd Hussain opted out of race in view of his ailing health while the Lala fielded his son Pawan Gupta. Hussain had died few days back.

Two seats in the region—Suchetgarh and Kishtwar were lying vacant for more than one year due to death of the sitting MLAs Choudhary Chuni Lal (BJP) and Bashir Ahmed Kitchloo (NC).

Meanwhile, four NC rebels managed to outmaneuver the official candidates to romp home successfully. While NC rebel Thakur Puran Singh won Darhal seat defeating official NC candidate Liaquat Ali with 217 votes, another party rebel Aijaz Ali (son of veteran NC leader Haji Buland Khan) emerged victorious in Gool-Arnas beating NC candidate and sitting MLA Abdul Wahid Shan with an impressive margin of over 6,000 votes. Aijaz, however, lost from neighbouring Gulabgarh constituency.

Former Deputy Speaker and another NC rebel Moulvi Abdul Rashid won Banihal seat outclassing NC candidate and sitting MLA Mohd Farooq Mir. Abdul Majeed Wani, a forest lessee, who too had jumped into the electoral fray from Doda after unsuccessfully vying for NC mandate, was elected from Doda. He defeated Minister of State for Home Khalid Najeeb Suharwardhy.

Three more NC rebels did well in the elections securing impressive votes but lost. They included Zulfikar Ali son of Choudhary Mohd Hussain, who polled 7871 votes in Darhal and finished third, Bharat Bhushan, who stood second in Raipur-Domana segment taking 8849 votes and was ahead of official NC candidate and sitting MLA Sat Pal Lakhotra, who could muster only 6896 votes and Rafiq Khan, who polled 16,665 votes.

Not to be left behind were the former leaders of Congress (I). One of them Ashwani Sharma, who had joined RSS-backed Jammu State-Morcha (JSM) after being denied mandate by the Congress, was elected from Bishnah with over 4,000 votes. Official Congress candidate Jagdish Dubey was relegated to third place.

However, most stunning was the performance of another ex-Congress leader Romesh Lal Motton, who had switched loyalties to the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) after he was denied party ticket from RS Pura (reserve) seat. Motton polled a whopping 17,000 votes despite the fact that NCP had no cadre in the segment and lost the seat with a narrow margin to official Cong candidate Suman Bhagat. "It was individual performance of Motton as people sympathised with him for being denied mandate by the Congress. It was Motton, who was a local and always worked for welfare of the people of RS Pura. He might have lost with few votes but he has won the hearts of RS Pura people", remarked a Congress activist Sham Lal in RS Pura while commenting on the impressive performance of Motton.

The BJP rebels, however, couldn’t make their presence felt. BJP rebel Daleep Parihar polled 3814 votes in Bhaderwah while another party rebel Sham Choudhary got 3700 votes in Suchetgarh. Hans Raj Dogra could muster only 1210 votes in Jammu West.

Jethmalani suggests PM hold talks with militants in J&K

NEW DELHI, Oct 12: Urging the Prime Minister to hold a dialogue with militants and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir, chairman of the Kashmir Committee Ram Jethmalani today suggested that the new Government in the State declare a general amnesty for all those who publicly lay down arms and favoured removal of restrictions on travel to and from Pakistan and PoK.

Reacting to the Assembly election results, he said in a statement here that all "repressive and undemocratic" laws should be repealed and public prosecutors instructed not to oppose bail for those not likely to abscond or otherwise defeat the judicial process.

Recommending that a committee of reputed judges and lawyers be appointed to review all pending prosecutions and terminate those that are "false or frivolous or serve no public purpose," he said undertrials and detainees lodged in prisons outside the State be transferred back to the State near their families and friends.

Among the trust building measures which can be put in place with the help of the Centre, the former Union Minister suggested compensation for those who have suffered loss or damage from excesses of public authorities and encouraging people to people contacts between different regions of the State.

"A chastened Pakistan should not find it difficult to accept that any Kashmir solution has to be one which is acceptable or at any rate can reasonably be forced down the throat of the Indian nation", he said.

Jethmalani said Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee must now honour his pledge that the election would help identify people’s representatives who would be consulted and engaged in "sincere" dialogue to bring back peace.

"Asserting political wisdom required that those who boycotted elections and who have not completely given up the path of violence and terrorism be won over", he said the Prime Minister will have to muster all his moral and political strength to neutralise the forces that are determined to scuttle the peace process.

Jethmalani said the National Conference had no reason to sulk and feel that the people of the State had not rejected it. "I personally regret that young Omar lost in his constituency and so did the brave Sakina Ittoo."

However, he said BJP’s defeat in Jammu region was not a big surprise. The "tragic neglect" of the Kashmiri Pandits and "total deafness" to their complaints against hostile discrimination, economic and political, of the entire region by the State Government could not have failed to produce the political disaster that it suffered, he added.

"I hope my friend Ghulam Nabi Azad in whatever capacity he joins the new Government will end this manifest folly," he said adding people of the State were thirsting for good governance, peace and revival of trade, commerce and industry.

"Properly governed, the state can be the richest in India and a piece of paradise on earth. Success in this great task will by itself be more than half the battle won."

He said non solution would mean unification of Kashmir and restoration of Kashmiriyat will have to be abandoned for all times. "The Committee believes a peaceful solution is possible but first we must decide to sit across the table on chairs and with clothes that do not bear the marks of human blood." (PTI)

Explosion rocks Surankote
BSF, army jawan killed

Excelsior Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 12: A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan and an army soldiers were killed while the terrorists triggered an IED blast in Surankote disrupting vehicular movement on Rajouri-Poonch road in separate incidents today.

Official sources said a BSF head constable P Kalita was killed in heavy firing by Pakistan army in Chinaz post of RS Pura sector this morning. Firing was replied by the Indian side.

The head constable was manning a forward post in Chinaz which was hit by a volley of shots, fired from a forward post of Pakistan army, in wee hours of this morning. The jawan was killed on spot. His body was later sent to a hospital.

Exchange of firing between Indo-Pak troops took place at over a dozen villages on the IB in RS Pura, Kanachak, Ramgarh and Akhnoor sectors over-night. However, there was no civilian casualty in the firing.

An army patrol was ambushed by the terrorists at Seel Dhar in Gool area of Udhampur district last night. Patrol party retaliated and an exchange of firing continued for next one hour.

One army jawan was killed and another injured in the encounter. The terrorists, however, managed to escape. Injured army jawan has been hospitalised in serious condition.

Militants shot at an injured a civilian Sahib Din in his house at Mastandara in Surankote last night. They also kidnapped Sahib Din’s nephew Shakeel Ahmed and escaped.

Injured has been shifted to the hospital. Police have started a search operation to rescue the hostage Shakeel Ahmed.

Meanwhile, an IED blast took place at village Passi on Lassana-Dundhak road in Surankote at 0840 hours today. Security forces rushed to the spot and defused another live IED, planted by the terrorists in same area.

Traffic on Rajouri-Poonch road remained suspended for over two hours as security forces sanitised the area. No casualties were reported in the blast.

A relaxed Farooq tastes sweets in Raghunath Bazar

Excelsior Special Correspondent

JAMMU, Oct 12: The outgoing Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, on Saturday offered a bit of fun in Jammu, the State’s winter capital. On his arrival in the city from Srinagar, the ebullient Chief Minister took shopkeepers and pedestrians in the famous Raghunath Bazar by surprise when he suddenly descended on the crowded market.

He came. He saw. He spoke to some shopkeepers. He enthralled them by a touch of informality. For a while, he behaved as a typical commoner.

Dr Farooq acted in a manner as to make others in the Raghunath Bazar feel that he had not lost anything, that he was relaxed, with no tension.

He was accompanied by his ministerial colleague, Surjit Singh Slathia. Dr Farooq entered some shops. He briefly interacted with owners of the shops, anxiously making enquiries about their welfare.

He was so informal and carefree that while talking to a dry-fruit merchant, he picked a couple of nuts, cracked them and munched the kernal.

Dr Farooq, who also showed scant regard for the security people assigned with a task of protecting him, entered a famous sweet selling shop at Raghunath temple Chowk. The outgoing Chief Minister exchanged pleasantries with the shop owner and he left the shop only after enjoying the taste of a couple of pieces of sweet.

He didn’t stop there. He, in a fit of ecstasy, also forced Mr Slathia as well as the shop owner to munch a piece or two of specially prepared " Laddu".

Immediately after this, Dr Farooq thanked each of them, boarded his vehicle and proceeded towards his official residence.

5 militants, civilian killed

Excelsior Correspondent

SRINAGAR, Oct 12: Even as a defeated candidate of the pro-India Awami League has survived an attempt on his life in Kangan, security forces have eliminated five militants in Kashmir valley since last evening.

Informed sources in north Kashmir told EXCELSIOR that troops of Rashtriya Rifles 18th Bn and SOG Kupwara eliminated two militants in an encounter at Daarpora in Lolab valley of Kupwara district. Both are believed to be Pakistani cadres of a Jehadi outfit. One of them has been identified as Khalid Bhai.

In Kupwara district again, troops of 16-Kumaon eliminated an unidentified militant in an encounter near Ratawajinar post, near LoC, in Karnah sector. Other members of the infiltrating group managed to escape and a search operation is underway to trace them in the same area. In yet another operation, troops of 6/11 Gorkha Regiment gunned down a Hizbul Mujahideen militant at Dukan, Amrohi, in Karnah sector. He has been identified as Mohammad Shafi Badhana S/o Mohammad Yaqoob Badhana R/o Amrohi.

Unofficial reports from Tangdar said that Badhana was captured alive and later killed in a fake encounter. Officials, however, maintained that he got killed in exchange of gunfire with security forces.

Late last evening, on a tip off troops of RR 46th Bn and SOG Baramulla launched a search operation in Qazi Hamam locality of old town in Baramulla. During the operation, an encounter took place between a holed up militant and the security forces. The militant died on spot. Two of his accomplices are believed to have escaped. A woman, namely Shabnam D/o Ghulam Nabi of the same locality sustained splinter injuries.

Last evening, militants lobbed a grenade towards the R&B Rest House in Kangan where a defeated candidate of Awami League, Abdur Rasheed Ganai, was staying. Four of his security personnel and associates sustained injuries. Later, the critically injured driver, Kuldeep Singh S/o Suchit Singh of Narwal, Jammu, died at hospital.

JCO among 4 injured in two Doda blasts

Excelsior Correspondent

DODA, Oct 12: A Junior Commissioner Officer and three civilians were injured in two separate explosions in Marmat area of Doda today.

Reports said that JCO, Mr Janardan sustained serious injuries after an IED planted on a kutcha track exploded in Marmat area of Doda this afternoon. The injured was removed to hospital and his condition was stated to be stable now. The other jawans following the JCO had a narrow escape.

In yet another explosion in the same area this evening, three civilians namely Titaru Devi, Ram Saroop and a minor boy were injured. All the three were shifted to district hospital Doda.

The troops, immediately after the blast cordoned the area and launched a search operation. A few suspects were picked up for questioning.

Hurriyat rejects Hizb chief’s suggestions

SRINAGAR, Oct 12: In a rebuff to Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Sallahuddin, Hurriyat Conference today dismissed his suggestion that Kashmir Committee headed by Ram Jethmalani was a creation of India and said the conglomerate would be holding third round of talks with them next week.

"We are in politics... Politics consists of reconciliation, balancing and interpreting various opinions," Bhat told reporters at the Hurriyat headquarters here.

"We will consider the opinion of Syed Sallahuddin but it is not imperative that we go by his opinion. We have our own independent stand in this regard," Bhat said. The Hizbul Mujahideen chief had said recently that it did not think the Kashmir Committees, set up in India and Pakistan, would achieve any breakthrough in the Kashmir imbroglio and asked the Hurriyat Conference not to beg for talks with New Delhi.

Sallahuddin said that the committee headed by Jethmalani was a private one with secret support of Indian intelligence agencies and that headed by Sardar Abdul Qayyum in Pakistan was Sarkari (by Government).

However, Bhat praised Kashmir Committee and said that the Hurriyat will be holding talks with them next week when these members come here after which they will be going to Pakistan to build the bridges of communication between the two countries. He went ahead and said that the Jethmalani committee was an unofficial committee and had made a good beginning so far. Their efforts had created a better environment and New Delhi should also learn a lesson from them, Bhat added. (PTI)

Hurriyat sees a rayof hope in Mufti

SRINAGAR, Oct 12: The Hurriyat Conference today said it saw a ray of hope in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in creating a conducive environment for talks to find a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue.

"Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s PDP had promised that it will make efforts to resolve the Kashmir issue and facilitate talks between the Government of India and the representatives of the people," Hurriyat chairman Prof Abdul Gani Bhat told reporters here.

"Mr Mufti’s party had always said that the Kashmir issue needs to be resolved for restoring peace in the State. It had also advocated release of political prisoners and voiced its concern over increased custodial killings, state attrocities and called for talks with the separatists.

If they are able to do so we see a ray of hope that a conducive atmosphere will be created where the dialogue process will make a forward movement in finding a lasting and permanent solution to the Kashmir issue,’’ he said.

Prof Bhat however, said that it does not make any difference who forms the Government in the State. "The Kashmir issue is a much bigger problem. It does not only involve India, Pakistan and Kashmiris but the entire world. It is a cause of concern for all of us."

On the elections, he said the Hurriyat had a clear stand on the issue of the poll process. "We are not for elections. The process will not make any headway in finding an amicable solution to the Kashmir issue... The problem needs to be resolved by holding a referendum or through talks with all the parties concerned," Prof Bhat said. (UNI)

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