Jammu and Kashmir may acquire five nominated additional MLAs this week as exit polls broach the possibility of a hung Assembly. The Congress-NC combine as well as former Gupkar Alliance member PDP have threatened to move the Supreme Court if Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha takes any such decision amidst government formation. The developments came even as Farooq Abdullah’s NC reiterated its willingness for a tie-up with the Mehbooba Mufti-led party.
“The LG should first of all stay away from this process as a government is being formed. It is for the government to nominate people and send it (nominations) to the LG. That is the normal procedure. What they want to do, I do not know. However, if they do it (give powers to LG), we will go to the Supreme Court. What is the point in making the government, if the Lord Sahib remains here? We have to fight against all this,” Abdullah told reporters on Monday.
Exit polls have given a clear edge to the Congress-NC grouping while insisting that no single party would secure a clear majority. The PDP and various independent candidates may find themsleves playing kingmaker as the results are announced on Tuesday. The possible appointment of five nominated MLAs can also tip the scale in favour of the BJP and its allies.
Farooq Abdullah has repeatedly insisted that he would welcome an alliance with the PDP irrespective of the tally.
“We will take the support (from PDP) even if we don’t need it. Because if we have to go ahead, we have to do it together. We all have to make an effort to save this state. This state is in a lot of difficulties. Educated youth have no jobs, inflation is skyrocketing, there is drug menace,” he said on Monday.
The NC president also said that he was not averse to taking support of the independents as well but he would not go ‘begging’ for it.
Omar Abdullah however noted that the buzz around a PDP alliance was “premature speculation” since the other party had not actually offered support. It also remains unclear whether PDP support will become crucial for government formation since votes are yet to be counted.
His son also lashed out at Lok Sabha MP Sheikh Abdul Rashid for suggesting a delay in government formation until statehood was restored to the area. The former Chief Minister claimed that the remarks were ‘playing into the hands of the BJP’ as they sought to extend Central rule in Jammu and Kashmir.
“The man goes to Delhi for 24 hours and comes back to play straight into the hands of the BJP. The BJP would like nothing more than to extend central rule in J-K if they aren’t in a position to form a government,” Abdullah posted on X.
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