NC-Congress alliance stakes claim to form govt in J&K: Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Oct 11 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir chief minister-designate Omar Abdullah on Friday called on Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha here and staked claim to form the National Conference-Congress alliance government in the Union Territory.

During his meeting with Sinha, Abdullah presented the letters of support from the coalition partners, hours after Congress extended its support to the NC vice president.

Abdullah was unanimously elected as the leader of the NC legislature party on Thursday, paving the way for his second term as the chief minister of J-K.

His first tenure as the chief minister was also as the head of the NC-Congress coalition government from 2009 to 2014.

The NC won 42 of the 90 seats for which elections were held in three phases with the alliance partner Congress bagging six seats.

Although the two parties have a majority in the 95-member House, four Independents and the lone AAP MLA have also extended their support to the NC.

Talking to reporters at his residence after returning from the Raj Bhavan, Abdullah said he requested the LG to fix a date for swearing-in of the new government at the earliest.

“I met the LG and presented the letters of support from the NC, Congress, CPI(M), AAP and Independents who have supported the NC. I requested him to fix a date as soon as possible so that the oath ceremony takes place and the government elected by the people starts functioning,” the CM-designate said.

He said the oath ceremony is likely to take place on Wednesday.

“This process will take some time. It is not that an elected government is replacing another elected government. This is a central rule, we are a Union Territory and the LG has to prepare documents and send them to the Rashtrapati Bhavan,” he said.

Abdullah said from the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the documents will go to the Home Ministry where the paperwork will be done and the documents will be sent back to the LG.

“We have been told that it will take at least two-three days. I hope that if this process is completed at the earliest, then the oath ceremony will take place on Wednesday,” Abdullah added.

Earlier in the day, the six Congress MLAs met here and authorised the party high command in New Delhi to nominate the leader of its legislature party.

After the meeting, JKPCC president Tariq Karra said the CLP meeting unanimously decided to give the right to the central leadership to take the call on the legislature party leader.

Asked whether any leaders from the INDIA bloc would be invited for the swearing-in ceremony, Abdullah said NC president Farooq Abdullah will see to that.

“He (Farooq Abdullah) is the leader of the INDIA bloc and invitations, if any, will be sent in his name. Those whom I have to invite, I will send them invitations tomorrow,” the junior Abdullah added.

To a question about any demands of ministerial berths by his alliance partner, the NC leader said such discussions take place as the parties were forming the government together.

“We have received their letter of support… we have held internal discussions,” he said.

Responding to a question about Independent candidates offering support to the NC for the government formation, the chief minister-designate said only those people who were a part of the party before were supporting.

“Except a few, these are the same people who could not get a mandate because of the alliance and contested the polls independently… We welcome their support. They have received the votes of the people because people expect them to do their work and now, it is my duty to hold their hands,” he said.

On allegations of ignoring Jammu, he said there is no such thing.