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| New Delhi exploring options but will Farooq take over? | | Deepening Kashmir crisis | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
ET REPORT
JAMMU, Sept 17: Despite vehement denials by National Conference (NC) leadership, speculations are rife that New Delhi is seriously considering the option of replacing Chief Minister Omar Abdullah with his father and Union Minister for Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah.
None but leaders in both National Conference (NC) and Congress camp are giving air to these wild speculations, quoting their close associates and ideologues in New Delhi. These leaders confirmed to early times that centre had offered Farooq Chief Minister's chair in the month of July but he had then refused citing personnel reasons. They added that Farooq had then consulted his colleagues and friends both in New Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, seeking their opinion over New Delhi's offer.
They, according to these leaders had advised him against taking over as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Having seen worst of times and administered the state during peak militancy period, these top leaders stressed that even after seeking the advise, Farooq also took stock of the prevailing circumstances especially the killings and murky security scenario across Kashmir valley and decided not to jump into this quagmire.
They said that this decision of Farooq Abdullah was also based on the assumption that Omar would be able to take control and situation would improve in the coming months. However, despite making certain cosmetic changes at the top, situation kept on deteriorating and the toll kept mounting. Instead of knocking at the door of his father Farooq Abdullah, hapless Omar kept ringing New Delhi off and on seeking their advice and guidance for tackling Kashmir situation.
Sources in the National Conference (NC) maintained that despite Omar preferring New Delhi, some close aides and business tycoons for advice; his father Farooq Abdullah refuted news reports of him taking over as Chief Minister. The father-son divide was visible and none needed to do much groundwork for finding out what was going on between the two Abdullahs.
Now that the voices seeking Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's removal have gained momentum, not only congress but the National Conference (NC) leadership has begun pondering over dignified exit strategy. Highly placed sources said that since the UPA leadership does not want to create unnecessary constitutional emergency in Jammu and Kashmir especially in the prevailing circumstances, it is likely to ask NC leadership to recall Omar Abdullah.
Sources averred that recall of Omar would be followed by installation of Farooq Abdullah as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir while Omar has already been promised a cabinet berth in the UPA government at the centre. Unlike his father, sources said that Omar would be given an extremely important portfolio. They asserted that New Delhi is banking on the experience of Farooq Abdullah.
But there was no indication that Omar was willing to go along with such a plan since the party has decided to wait for the outcome of visit of Parliamentary delegation to Jammu and Kashmir. This would be followed by visit of Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi either in the last week of September or first week of October.
Sources confirmed that while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership is in constant touch with certain congress leaders in the centre, Congress is unlikely to change the partnership in the government for the next at least one year. Congress leaders from both Azad and Soz camp confirmed to early times that coalition would remain intact till the central leadership does not decide otherwise.
"For the present time, they are backing Omar Abdullah and have also shown no signs of withdrawing the support. They are concerned over bad governance but do not want to further deepen the crisis by withdrawing the support to Omar government at this crucial juncture. Hence, the only possibility of Farooq Abdullah taking over from his son Omar," asserted a top congress leader. |
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