NC discusses strategy to counter Oppn attack
NC rushes to mend fences with ally
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Feb 2: The Congress Party Legislators today stayed away from the joint NC-INC Legislature Party meeting, alleging lack of coordination between the two alliance partners in the government and failure to constitute a coordination committee of the alliance partners since the formation of Government by the National Conference with the support of alliance partners.
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Party sources said that senior Congress leader and the Chief Whip of the Party in the J&K Legislature, Nizam-Ud-Din Bhat, MLA Bandipore, had been sent to the Joint Legislature Party meeting by the Congress leadership just to convey party’s resentment to the National Conference leadership over certain issues, which were being ignored by the major party since the formation of the coalition government in the Jammu and Kashmir.
The joint meeting of the collation partners was chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah at his official residence at Jammu and it started at around 5 pm. National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah was also present during the crucial meeting.
Cong MLA and Chief Whip of the party in the House, Nizamuddin Bhat who alone was representing his party conveyed his party’s resentment over certain issues including non-formation of coordination committee of alliance partners. He also referred to the issues of lack of support over Statehood from NC, not taking Congress into confidence over reservations issue besides other political and administrative issues.
Later, talking to media-persons, Bhat said the party (Cong) has conveyed to the National Conference (NC) leadership that it is not comfortable with the post-poll working arrangement, citing lack of coordination and exclusion from decision-making since the formation of the Government about 15 months ago.
Bhat further said it has been clearly conveyed to the National Conference that while there was a common cause between the two parties before the elections, which proved successful, the same understanding did not continue after the elections.
The Cong MLA said the coordination committee between the two alliance partners was never formed, due to which several major decisions were taken solely by the National Conference. These included issues related to reservations, administrative reforms, statehood, and other matters, which, he said, resulted in political losses.
“There was no coordination even during the Rajya Sabha polls and on the strategy with the Centre,” Bhat said, adding that Congress was not taken into confidence while taking some key decisions.
He clarified that Congress was not demanding power or positions but wanted the government to fulfil commitments made to people before the elections, particularly on public welfare issues. “Those promises are not being addressed,” he said.
On the issue of restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Bhat said the Congress has been consistently raising the issue but felt that the NC was not serious in supporting this issue.
Commenting on the ongoing Budget Session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, Bhat said the Congress would raise issues wherever it believes the government is wrong. When asked how can you do it when your party is in alliance with NC, Bhat said, “Where does a healthy and smooth alliance exist? It existed only before elections.”
He said the party would continue to take positions on issues such as statehood and what he described as the BJP’s communal policies, irrespective of whether the NC supports Congress or not. We had made some commitments with the people before polls and the party will continue to struggle for those issues in the Assembly and outside as well, Bhat maintained.
A Congress Legislator said that it was decided during Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday that party will stay away from the joint Legislature Party meeting with NC. Earlier, it was decided that out of the six MLAs nobody will go in this meeting to be headed by the Leader of the House Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. However, later, it was decided that Chief Whip (Nizamuddin Bhat) will go to the meeting and convey his party’s concern and resentment. Another alliance partner from CPI (M), MLA Kulgam, Mohd Yousuf Tarigami was also not present during the meeting, citing some health reasons.
Meanwhile, JKPCC president Tariq Hameed Karra when contacted said that Congress had not boycotted Joint Legislature Party meeting. He said party Chief Whip, Nizamuddin Bhat had been mandated to present party’s view point on behalf of all the members during the meeting.
He, however, admitted that there is some resentment in the party due to lack of coordination between the alliance partners. ” We have been stressing for the formation of a coordination committee of the alliance partners to run the government, but they are avoiding and causing delay,” Karra said.
” We are in the collation and we have the right to raise these issues. We had made some commitments with the people before elections and we have the responsibility to address the same. Even on the issue of Statehood no support is being rendered by the alliance partners. We expect our major partner to follow the `collation dharma’ with true spirit,” Karra added.
Earlier, National Conference held its Legislature Party meeting chaired by party leader Omar Abdullah and discussed strategy to counter attack from the opposition during this Budget Session.
Meanwhile, National Conference moved to defuse a simmering crisis within the ruling alliance, with Minister Javid Ahmad Dar claiming that a coordination committee will be constituted to address grievances raised by coalition partner Congress.
The decision, conveyed after a crucial meeting of alliance legislators with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, signals an attempt to stabilize the coalition amid public expressions of dissatisfaction from Congress leaders.
Dar said the Chief Minister had assured the Congress leadership that their concerns would be addressed. “A committee will be formed, comprising members from both the National Conference and the Congress, and it will be headed by the Deputy Chief Minister from the National Conference side,” Dar stated.
He tried to downplay the tension, framing the discussions as part of routine pre-budget session strategy. “It was a Legislature Party meeting focused on floor management. However, the Congress raised certain issues, and the Chief Minister has given assurances,” Dar added.
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