Srinagar, August 27: The Congress party announced on Thursday that it has not yet made a decision regarding joining the cabinet led by Omar Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir. This statement comes in response to media reports suggesting that the ruling National Conference (NC) had reached out to Congress about joining the government.
Dr. Syed Nasir Hussain, the Congress General Secretary in charge of Jammu and Kashmir, clarified that no decision has been taken concerning participation in the council of ministers in the Union Territory. He emphasized that discussions are ongoing and no final agreement has been reached.
Earlier reports indicated that the National Conference had proposed a new offer to Congress for a position in the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet. Sources also revealed that while the Congress unit in Jammu and Kashmir is not averse to joining the government, it is demanding two positions.
Hussain further stated that the party is open to negotiations for the second position. If the National Conference is reluctant to meet this demand, Congress expects due recognition for one of its legislators.
Additionally, the Jammu and Kashmir unit of Congress is advocating for the formation of a coordination committee among coalition partners to ensure the party’s role in the decision-making process.
According to sources, the local unit has discussed the terms for joining the government with the National Conference and is awaiting a response. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has mentioned that a cabinet reshuffle will occur at an appropriate time after August 15. Reports suggest that, in addition to reallocating departments among current ministers, Abdullah plans to introduce some new faces to improve governance.
In the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, the National Conference holds 41 seats, the BJP has 29, Congress has six, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has four, CPI(M) has one, People’s Conference (PC) has one, Awami Ittihad Party (AIP) has one, the Aam Aadmi Party has one, and there are six independent members. Among these, six Congress legislators, one CPI(M) legislator, and two independents support the NC government.
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