Fayaz Bukhari
Srinagar, June 18: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said that his party would announce the list of candidates for the forthcoming Assembly elections soon and hinted at fielding fresh and youthful faces.
Speaking at the Central Working Committee meeting at Nawa-i-Subh today, Omar said National Conference Parliamentary Board would be meeting soon to finalise the first list of candidates for the forthcoming Assembly elections. He said that list would be prepared after feedback is gathered from the grassroot level and consensus in the party. He asked the party leaders to go to their constituencies and work for the people and address their grievances.
NC general secretary, Ali Mohammad Sagar said that party has asked the district presidents to submit a panel of three candidates from each Assembly segment and Parliamentary Board of the party under NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah in chair will take the final decision about the mandate.
In order to infuse new blood to the party after debacle in the Parliamentary elections, Omar said that new faces would be brought forward that can become the party’s driving force.
The meeting discussed the debacle of the party in recent polls in which they were routed from Kashmir valley. The NC working president told the meeting: “It is important to take lessons from defeat and make ourselves stronger, better and more resolute in our mission.” He said that his party will inflict crushing defeat on People’s Democratic Party in the Assembly elections which they will remember forever.
Chief Minister said that the final decision on the issue of electoral alliance with Congress party would be taken by the NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah after due consultations with party leaders and grassroots workers.
Omar told the meeting that his party has never and will never compromise on its political ideology and agenda. He said that NC’s stand on the political resolution of Kashmir issue is clear and unambiguous. He said that he has made it clear on the floor of the House and before former Prime Minister of India, Dr Manmohan Singh during this visit to the State last year.
The Chief Minister targeted the healing touch policy of former Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed and said that it was a big hoax, based on lies and propaganda. He said that Mufti claimed to have disbanded the SOG and the STF but in fact he institutionalized them by change in nomenclature.
Highlighting the contributions of his Government, Omar said: “We demolished more than 40 concrete bunkers from Srinagar City. These bunkers were turned into concrete and painted and decorated structure by the previous PDP Government.”
Chief Minister said that only 45 stone-pelters are in custody at present with 35 of them booked under regular cases. He hinted at general amnesty against the stone pelters who have not been charge sheeted yet. “Home Department is looking into the possibility of some sort of a general amnesty to those cases that were not challaned and were not under the purview of the Honorable courts”, he said.
Omar blamed PDP for vitiating the atmosphere of peace in the State in 2008 due to their involvement in the Amarnath Land Row Agitation. He described the agitation as a burden which was transferred on to the shoulders of his Government.
The NC Working President constituted a High-Level Committee under the Chairmanship of Senior NC leader Mohammad Shafi Uri to recommend measures for strengthening the party. Members of the committee include GN Ratanpuri, S S Salathia, Irfan Ahmed Shah, Khalid Najeeb Suharwardy, Dr. Mehboob Beg and Sardar Harbans Singh. The Committee will come up with its recommendations in three months. He said that the committee’s recommendations would be put in front of the Central Working Committee for discussion and consideration.
The Central Working Committee of the NC resolved that it appreciates the recent talks between Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharief and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, towards laying a foundation for building confidence, as a step forward in resolving the outstanding issues. “We hope that the burning issue of Jammu and Kashmir, which has been a major reason for tension between the two countries, shall be addressed to the satisfaction of all stake holders”, the NC’s CWC resolved.
The CWC appealed the State Government to grant general amnesty to the youth, who are involved in stone pelting incidents. “This initiative, if taken, shall go a long way, and give hope to these youth as it shall give them an opportunity to be part of the mainstream, and they shall progress and prosper for the uplift of their families and the society as a whole,” the CWC resolved. It also appealed the Government to address the problems of power tariff and ration quota faced by the people.
The CWC resolved that NC stands for the unity, integrity and the special status of Jammu and Kashmir State, and shall continue to strive for defending its secular character. The party also resolved that it stands by the commitment that Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh is a single entity exemplifying unity in diversity, and shall defend the same by defeating the dis-integrative forces.
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