Srinagar, Jan 9: Governor’s rule was imposed in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday after political parties failed to muster the requisite number in the 87-member Assembly for staking claim to form the government.The decision came after Governor N.N. Vohra submitted a report to the President last night stating that Omar Abdullah had requested to be relieved of the post of being a caretaker Chief Minister.The report contained some suggestions, including the option of a spell of Governor’s rule in the wake of no party getting the number required to form a government after the highly- fractured verdict in the Assembly elections, official sources said here.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had last night forwarded the report to the Prime Minister’s Office for necessary action.Governor’s rule was imposed in the state under Section 92 of Jammu and Kashmir Constitution which allows the Governor to proclaim it in case of failure of Constitutional machinery in the state.President Pranab Mukherjee is understoodto have given his concurrence for Governor’s rule which has been imposed in the state for the sixth time since 1977.Omar had said the state needed a full-time administrator to deal with the situation along the border with Pakistan and providing relief to flood-affected people in the Kashmir Valley.He was asked to continue as caretaker Chief Minister on December 24 after his resignation in the wake of defeat of his party, National Conference (NC), in the Assembly poll results declared on December 23.More than a fortnight after the results have been out, neither PDP which emerged as the single largest party with 28 seats norBJP with 25 could get the magic figure of 44 to stake claim to form a government. NC has 15 MLAs while the Congress 12.The new government was required to be constituted before January 19 when the term of the current Assembly expires.Omar’s decision may have also hastened the Governor’s decision to send a report to the Home Ministry.The state is witnessing such a stalemate for the second time in 12 years. A similar situation had arisen when Farooq Abdullahhad asked the then Governor G.C. Saxena to relieve him of being a caretaker Chief Minister as PDP and Congress were takinga lot of time in cobbling up numbers to form the government.Despite intervention by the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Abdullah refused to continue as the caretaker Chief Minister and Governor’s rule had to be imposed for a fortnight from October 18, 2002.The Peoples Democratic Party, which has not been able to cobble an alliance for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, on Friday blamed former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah for forcing Governor’s Rule on the state.“We had time till January 19 to form a government but the situation has been forced (on the state) by Omar,” PDP chief spokesman Naeem Akhtar said.He said the PDP was in talks with various political parties for formation of a stable government in the state.“We could have forged an alliance...We are in touch with different parties as informal channels are open with all parties,” he said.Akhtar said the party will continue its efforts for formation of a stable government in the state.“We are hopeful that we will be able to form a stable government soon,” he added.Asked if fresh election in the state was a possibility, Akhtar said “we will discuss thesituation if it comes to that”.Omar lashes out at PDPFormer Jammu and Kashmir Chief MinisterOmar Abdullah on Friday blamed the PDP for bringing the state under Governor’s rule and accused its patron Mufti Mohammed Sayeed of continuing the deadlock over government formation to get a full six-year term as Chief Minister.“It’s been months since the state had a full fledged administration and the people can’t wait for Mufti Sayeed to negotiate his six-year term,” Omar tweeted after thestate was put under Governor’s rule.The Working President of National Conference (NC) said restoration and rehabilitation in the wake of the floods was suffering as accountable administration was absent besides there was a humanitarian problem on the border.“Yet the @jkpdp would like the limbo to continue as people suffer only so the Muftican force a 6 yr term as CM from the BJP,” he said.He termed as “amazing” PDP’s contentionthat NC’s offer of support to in in government formation was non-serious.“For the @jkpdp to claim that my offer to them was a non-serious one is amazing. They know who the intermediary was so they should ask him,” Omar said. The NC had offered support to the PDP, which has 28 MLAs, on December 23 when election results were announced.“I’m sorry after an election with such a good turnout we have a situation of Governor’s rule but as I’ve maintained the onus lies with “JKPDP,” he said. PTI
Posted on: Fri, 09 Jan 2015 16:07:22 +0000
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