Political impasse between NC, Cong on Kargil Council over

Neeraj Rohmetra
JAMMU, Sept 10: Political impasse confronting the National Conference (NC) – Congress coalition over the formation of Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC), Kargil is likely to end soon as NC-led alliance in Kargil today withdrew its claim of having secured majority in the Council.
To further resolve the political crisis, meeting of the Coordination Committee (CC) comprising senior members of both the political parties is likely to be held soon.
The two coalition partners had entered into a deadlock over the formation of Kargil Council, with each political party claiming to have secured majority even before the Councilors formally took oath. Serious differences had cropped up among the coalition partners, after the State Government on August 4 issued a notification nominating four members to the Hill Council  and the Congress party claiming that the act was against the ‘coalition dharma’.
Hints of ice-breaking were also given today by the All India Congress (I) Committee general secretary, Incharge Jammu and Kashmir, Ambika Soni, who while talking to EXCELSIOR from New Delhi said, “senior leaders of both the coalition parties are in touch with other and efforts are on to find an amicable solution to the issues confronting the coalition”.
Elaborating further, she remarked, “both NC and Congress have jointly worked together during the past five years and have withstood many times of turbulence. We have to find a positive solution to this issue also so that that coalition lasts its full term”.
“Both the parties have strong base among the electorate and should combine their strength to counter such political crisis”, she said, adding, “our JKPCC(I) chief, Saif-ud-Din Soz is also camping in the summer capital for the past few days and have been holding regular interactions with our Ministers and party leaders, including those hailing from Kargil region to resolve the issue”.
Reliable sources stated that Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah, who was in New Delhi to attend Power Minister’s conference, had also taken up the issue with Congress incharge J&K, Ambika Soni.
Echoing similar sentiments, Rural Development Minister, Ali Mohammad Sagar, who is also member of the CC said, “we had visited Kargil today to deliberate the issue with our party leaders and also with members of the Islamia School, with whom we had jointly contested the Hill Council polls. After detailed discussions, we decided to withdraw the claims made by our Councilors yesterday of having secured majority in the Council”.
“We have also conveyed our decision to the Deputy Commissioner, Kargil and all our party leaders would adhere to the decision of the party president, Farooq Abdullah. The entire party stands by the views expressed by the NC patriarch on the issue a day before in Srinagar”, he added.
Senior NC leader said, “meeting of the Coordination Committee, which is right forum to resolve such issue would be called soon to settle the matter further”.
Mr Sagar was accompanied by NC provincial president of Kashmir, Nasir Aslam Wani and Minister Feroz Ahmad Khan.
“The entire matter had been resolved and all controversy regarding the formation of Hill Council has been laid to rest”, said Mr Wani exuding confidence.
It is pertinent to point out that the two Coalition partners still need to resolve the issues pertaining to the nomination of four councilors – two women and two from the minority community, who were nominated as per the provisions of the LAHDC, Kargil.
Earlier, in the morning Prof Saif-ud-Din Soz held another round of talks with Cabinet Minister and Ministers of State affiliated with Congress party at the residence of Deputy Chief Minister, Tara Chand.  The parleys started at around 12.00 pm and continued for around two hours. The discussion focused on the resolution of controversy surrounding formation of Kargil Hill Council.
Congress Ministers, who attended the meeting included Tara Chand, Taj Mohi-ud-Din, Rigzin Jora, Sham Sharma, Raman Bhalla, Abdul Majeed Wani,  Shabir Khan, Viqar Rasool Wani and few others. Some of the Ministers, who had gone to their constituencies couldn’t make it to the meeting.

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