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| Coordination panel meets to 'iron out' differences, consensus still eludes on key issues | | | Kunal Shrivatsa
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, July 22: Amid speculations that the Pradesh Congress leadership is upset over the way coalition government is being run by its ally National Conference (NC), the Coordination Committee meeting of the two partners held today at Hari Niwas, Srinagar, the official residence of Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, 'perhaps' to iron out the differences, if any.
According to sources in the Congress, today's coordination committee meeting may have been perceived as a routine affair, however, the main agenda of the meeting was to evolve a consensus on various issues affecting the 'health' of the coalition government.
"The Coordination Committee meet was an opportunity for the Congress to send signals to National Conference leadership that everything is not right among the coalition partners especially the manner in which some of the NC ministers are functioning," sources said.
If sources are to be believed Congress leadership is reportedly not happy with the NC over some important decisions taken by some of its ministers without consulting the coalition partner.
In the 90-minute meet, sources said, leaders of both the parties put forward several suggestions to improve the performance of the coalition government.
Surprisingly, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy and NC president Dr Farooq Abdullah skipped the all important meeting, sources added
While speaking to Early Times, Ravinder Sharma, MLC and spokesperson of the Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere and leaders from both the sides gave various suggestions to further strengthen the bond of coalition besides smooth functioning of the government.
"A number of issues pertaining to the smooth functioning of the coalition were discussed at the Coordination Committee meeting," Ravinder Sharma told Early Times.
"Among other things, the policy formulations regarding the institution of Accountability Commission, Information Commission and Vigilance Commission came up for discussion," he added
Sharma further said the Committee felt that Congress-NC combine must do everything possible to help the Coalition Government to man the positions in various Commissions in a manner that credibility of these prestigious institutions is fully ensured.
"Coordination Committee also suggested that elections to the local bodies should be organized as early as possible and in the meantime Electoral rolls should be updated fully," Congress Spokesperson said.
Sharma said PCC chief Saifuddin Soz, who was the head of the committee, Deputy Chief Minister Tara Chand and former Deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma represented the Congress while Minister for Finance Abdul Rahim Rather, Minister for Rural Development Ali Mohammad Sagar and Choudhary Mohammad Ramzan represented NC.
However, the sources said that the Congress leadership which apparently felt offended with the recent announcement of the Government to establish new degree colleges across the state also raked up the alleged 'discrimination' adopted by the 'senior' ally in sanctioning of these institutions.
"While sanctioning the degree Colleges, the NC is favouring those areas represented by its men while discriminating against the areas represented by the Congress leaders," sources said.
"The model colleges, which were fully sponsored under a Centre government scheme, were exclusively sanctioned for NC dominated areas whereas those to be funded by the state were allotted to the areas represented by Congress leaders…. Its nothing but sheer discrimination with the Congress, a constituent in the state government," they added
"In the meeting, the Congress leaders in clear terms asked for putting in place set criteria to open new colleges in the state besides upgradation of the schools," they added
The Coordination Committee also suggested that elections to the local bodies should be organized as early as possible and in the meantime electoral rolls should be updated fully.
Coordination Committee was constituted after the formation of the Congress-NC government in 2008 mainly to monitor the working of the two partners and to keep the relationship of both parties in good stead. |
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