Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 23: In a significant statement, National Conference Additional General Secretary Dr Sheikh Mustafa Kamal today took exception to the stand of his nephew and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah that National Conference and Congress would contest 2014 Assembly elections in alliance with each other saying that such an important decision required stamp of the party and can’t be taken by a single person.
Speaking to the Excelsior and some local news agencies, Dr Kamal said: “it could be his (the Chief Minister’s) desire or personal view point but definitely this is not the party stand. The party has not taken up the issue so far. It (the alliance) would be decided only when the Assembly elections drew nearer in 2014’’.
He added that there was a set procedure in the National Conference to take a decision on contesting the elections.
“There is party Working Committee, Core Group and Central Working Committee. They all hold consultations and then take a decision whether to go it alone in the elections or contest the polls in alliance with a political party. An individual can’t take such a decision.
“No doubt that Omar Abdullah was the Chief Minister and National Conference’s working president. We respect him but as far as formation of a pre-poll grand alliance was concerned, no individual can take a decision on it. The entire party has to sit together and decision on the alliance’’, Dr Kamal said.
The senior National Conference leader and former Minister was of the view that the alliance is decided on the eve of elections depending upon the political situation prevailing then and not two years before the polls.
“We have to watch and see what situation develops in the country after May 2014 Parliamentary elections. Many things have to be discussed then, which are in the interest of the State and the nation before forging the alliance or going alone in the elections’’, Dr Kamal said.
He noted that present alliance between National Conference and Congress was confined to four seats of Legislative Council from the Panchayat quota.
“There can be mid-term elections tomorrow or the polls can be held on time. All kind of situations would be watched and discussed by the party before taking a decision on the alliance’’, Dr Kamal said.
Trending Now
E-Paper
Follow our WhatsApp channel