Neeraj Rohmetra
Jammu, Jan 25: Top leadership of Congress party today held detailed deliberations with All India Congress Committee (AICC) chief, Sonia Gandhi over the emerging political situation in the State, particularly in view of the strained relations with their coalition partner over the issue of formation of new administrative units.
Top Congress sources told EXCELSIOR the meeting which was held for around 40 minutes and was attended by top leaders of the party, who are involved in the decision making process for all issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir. Besides, the trusted lieutenant of the AICC President, the meeting was attended by Jammu and Kashmir in charge, Ambika Soni; Union Health Minister and former Chief Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress (JKPCC) president, Saif-ud-Din Soz.
Sources emphasised that the meeting held detailed discussion on all issues confronting the Congress-NC coalition Government in the State. “The gamut of issues including the recent confrontation on the issue of administrative units, implementation of 73rd and 74th amendment, relief measures for refugees and Food Security Bill came up for discussion in the meeting”, sources added.
Though participants in the meeting remained tight-lipped over the details of meeting, sources asserted, “the meeting also discussed the issue of pre-poll alliance in view of the forthcoming Parliamentary and Assembly elections in the State. There was unanimity among all participants that any decision regarding the formation of pre-poll alliance would only be taken based on inputs obtained from the Congress leadership in the State”, adding, “the decision would be based on the assessment of the political situation in the State”.
Setting at rest rumours that the recent meeting between the Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah and AICC President on January 21 had set the stage for formation of an alliance, sources asserted, “no final decision has been taken in this regard and several rounds of discussion are going to take place before coming to any conclusion”.
On the ticklish issue of constitution of administrative units, Congress leaders were of the opinion that the party should avoid any confrontation with National Conference at this stage. “However, the Congress leadership was supportive of the idea of covering all representations received from various district headquarters of the State and wanted that no decision should be taken in haste”, sources emphasized, adding, “before coming to any conclusion, it should be made sure that no region remained unrepresented in the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC)”.
To diffuse the situation further, sources stated that there was every likelihood of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on administrative units being headed by Tara Chand finally submitting its recommendations by the deadline of January 31 set by Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah.
Regarding the issue of incorporation of 73rd Amendment in the State Panchayati Raj Act, the leaders felt that the decision had been delayed on one pretext or the other by its alliance partners. “Congress party has been in favour of decentralisation of power to the grass root level and would like to see the incorporation of amendments as early as possible”, sources said.
“The high-level meeting also assessed the situation pertaining to status of other issues like settlement of West Pak, PoK and other refugees and Food Security Bill”, sources remarked.
Union Health Minister, Ghulam Nabi Azad, when contacted about the details of meeting said, “there was nothing in particular regarding Jammu and Kashmir and consultation with the party chief was a regular process”.
On the issue of administrative units, he said, “the Cabinet Sub-Committee (CSC)under stewardship of Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand is working in the right direction and it was wise decision to visit all the district headquarters and interact with people on ground”.
“The objective should be that no area in Jammu, Ladakh and Kashmir region should feel that they weren’t consulted in the process. Ganai Committee was only an official Committee and had failed to interact with people across the State like the CSC”, he added.
Favouring an amicable solution to the impasse among the Coalition partners, the former Chief Minister said, “getting emotional or angry wouldn’t lead to resolution of the problem. The issue has to be sorted out amicably by sitting across the table”.
Azad, who as Chief Minister created eight new districts in his tenure in 2006 as Chief Minister said, “justice should be done to all regions of the State and time shouldn’t become constraint in coming to the final conclusion”.
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