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| NC-Cong coalition of New Delhi's 'compulsions' | | Fissures widen but who believes! | | Syed Junaid Hashmi
EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, July 23: Fissures in ruling National Conference-Congress coalition have begun widening with both sides pulling in opposite directions. Drift is ostensibly visible.
What to talk of constitutional issues, coalition has been unable to demonstrate unanimity over trivial issues. Congress, whose decisions rest on New Delhi's mood, has been seemingly playing second fiddle in the coalition. It is agreeing to even politically damaging decisions of National Conference led government.
Be it issue of appointment of Chairman and members for State Accountability Commission, Commissioners for state information commission (SIC) or Chairman of State Vigilance Commission (SVC), the two parties despite vehement claims of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have been unable to put up unanimous choices. Yet the two are carrying on due to New Delhi's compulsions, as are congress people heard saying.
Leave aside the issue of appointments, a junior rank officer recently transferred by the NC-led government due to complaints made against him by a congress cabinet minister forced his way back to the same place of posting owing to the blessings of a National Conference stalwart, who lost the Assembly elections in year 2008. Not only this, an NC MLC forced the government to drop a water supply scheme proposed by an elected Congress MLA, who was also a minister in erstwhile PDP-Congress coalition.
Another issue which demonstrated NC's complete control over the administrative issues having wide ranging political implications is the recent allotment of Model Degree Colleges. Government vide order no. 264-Hr. Edu of 2011 dated 29-6-2011 ordered the establishment of Model Degree colleges in Kulgam, Baramulla, Budgam, Kargil, Kishtwar, Kathua, Kupwara Poonch, Rajouri, Leh and Reasi.
Three districts namely Udhampur, Anantnag and Doda which had been approved by University Grants Commission (UGC) were deprived of Model degree colleges for political considerations and colleges meant for them were shifted to the electoral constituencies of ruling ministers in unapproved districts. MLA's and MLC's of these districts have already raised banner of revolt.
Some have even approached New Delhi seeking an answer for alleged illogical and discriminatory allotment of model degree colleges. Most of the effected are Congress MLAs. They have begun openly talking of NC's 'highhandedness' in the allotment of Degree Colleges. Some have written to the president of Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee while others are ringing Ghulam Nabi Azad.
They assert that personal and political considerations have been lone deciding factor in the matter of establishment of said modal degree colleges while adding that ministers are behaving as masters of public exchequer rather than its custodians. But to no avail. Earlier also, notes of anguish were exchanged by the two coalition partners over transfer and posting of senior police officers.
Though it did not happen during the Cabinet meeting, which the Chief Minister off and on claims as sign of effective coalition working, the notes were exchanged in private. Administrative rank and file associated with congress ministers confirmed this to Early Times. While the entire coalition keeps talking of cordial relationship between the two officially, none from both the sides miss the opportunity to bash each other in private.
Despite being rivals, workers of both congress groups talk of growing distrust between the two coalition partners and urgency of handling over the reigns of power to congress. "Let us lead the coalition for next three years," demanded a congress worker. However, Political pandits blame groupism within Congress and even go to the extent of accusing former Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, who is presently Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare of weakening position of congress in the ruling coalition.
They talk of Azad's group and opine that rotational Chief Minister Issue could be resolved within few seconds, only if issue of groupism within congress is redressed. |
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