STATE TIMES NEWS

SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference on Thursday unanimously elected Omar Abdullah as the leader of its Legislative Party.
Soon after the legislature party meeting, Omar Abdullah thanked the National Conference for electing him their leader so that he can stake claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“You are aware of the decision that was taken. A meeting of the NC legislature party took place, the legislature party has decided its leader and I am thankful from the bottom of my heart to the NC legislators that they have reposed their faith in me and given me a chance to stake claim for government formation,” Abdullah told reporters after he was elected the leader of the legislature party here.
He said four of the seven Independent MLAs have extended support to the National Conference, taking the party’s strength to 46.

CLP to meet today at Srinagar

Jammu/ Srinagar: Congress Legislature Party (CLP) shall meet tomorrow afternoon at Srinagar.
According to an official spokesperson of the party, the MLAs of the Congress party shall meet tomorrow afternoon in Srinagar,under the chairmanship of PCC Chief Tariq Hameed Karra,to elect the Leader of Congress Legislature party.
The name shall be finally approved and announced by the party high command, which shall pave the way for further process of extending letter of support for the formation of the government, he added.

“Talks are on with the Congress. They have been given a day to decide. Once they give us a letter of support, I will stake claim for government formation,” Abdullah said.
Omar Abdullah had earlier asserted that whenever a government is formed in Jammu and Kashmir, it should pass a resolution and begin talks with the Union government to restore the region’s statehood.
“Once the government is formed, it should pass a resolution and then engage in talks with the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and other ministers in Delhi,” he said.
He further emphasised that they would make every effort to work harmoniously with the Lieutenant Governor (LG) for the benefit of the people. “We do not seek a major confrontation between the LG and the government. Instead, we aim for peaceful cooperation and to work for the people until we regain our rightful status as a state. We hope to restore statehood as soon as possible,” he added.
The NC has emerged as the single-largest party in the just-concluded Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls with 42 seats. The party has a comfortable majority in the 95-member Assembly as its alliance partners Congress and CPI(M) have won six seats and one seat respectively.