Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 30: PCC (I) president Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz said today that the Congress was not interested in pulling down Chief Minister Omar Abdullah led coalition Government in Jammu and Kashmir and that the present ruling dispensation would complete its full term.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function at Mubarak Mandi complex, Prof Soz said: “the Congress is not going to pull out of the Government. The coalition Government will complete its full term’’.
He was responding to a question on reported crisis between National Conference and Congress, the two coalition partners in the State, over creation of new administrative units.
“We want the coalition Government to work till end. Congress Party is not interested in pulling down the Government. The issue for creation of new administrative units would be sorted out amicably,’’ Prof Soz said.
His reaction came even as Omar said in New Delhi today that the crisis of the coalition Government (over the creation of new administrative units) was not yet over.
The Cabinet Sub Committee on creation of new units headed by Deputy Chief Minister and veteran Congress leader Tara Chand is meeting here at 11.30 am tomorrow to finalise its recommendations and submit them to the Chief Minister in the Cabinet meeting slated for 2 pm on February 1.
Tara Chand has called the final CSC meeting tomorrow morning to finalise the recommendations and submit them to the Cabinet. The deadline for the CSC set by the Chief Minister for submission of its report expires tomorrow.
Replying to a question about Omar’s statement in which he said today “I cannot say whether the crisis has been averted,” Prof Soz said, “They (state cabinet) are wise enough to take the correct decision. My perception is that Congress is not interested in reacting to the statements.”
“Congress party is not averse to setting up of new administrative units. On the behalf of Congress we want to this coalition to run full term”, he said.
On the issue of Gen (retd)VK Singh he said,”Gen (retd) V K Singh issue was not a confrontation issue. He has been controversial throughout his life.
“We should not create an impression that we do not respect the man who headed the security forces”, he said.
On the issue of alliance, he said we have already briefed high command about the views of all the party workers and leaders in the three regions and it is up to the high command to decide over it.
“We have throughly discussed with the workers along with Ambika Sonia and deliberated on the issue thoroughly what our workers want. We do not want to create any controversy in this direction”, he said.
Replying to another question on implementation of 73rd amendment in Jammu and Kashmir, Prof Soz observed that the Congress stand on the issue was very “progressive’’.
However, without naming the National Conference, Prof Soz said that certain quarters were not cooperating in implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India in Jammu and Kashmir, which empowered the Panchayats.
The Congress had for the past quite some time insisting on implementation of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India in Jammu and Kashmir. Later, it was agreed upon between the two coalition partners that important provisions of the 73rd amendment would be incorporated in the State Panchayati Raj Act.
Only yesterday, Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Saifullah Mir had told reporters that the bill to incorporate provisions of 73rd amendment of the Constitution of India in the State Panchayati Raj Act would be tabled in the upcoming budget session of the Legislature.
Replying to another question on his Chief Ministerial ambition, Prof Soz said: “this is not the time to answer the question. Everybody has ambitions…The Assembly elections are still away’’.
Few days back, Prof Soz had stated that he too had the ambition of becoming the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
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