Crucial NC meet begins in Srinagar

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR, JULY 10. The crucial working committee meeting of the ruling National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir began here today to decide on its continuance in the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Though no indications were available on the future course of action, the members were not in an upbeat mood.

All 31 members of the working committee, belonging to all the three regions of the State, met at the residence of the party general secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed. None of them talked to mediapersons on what line would be taken in the backdrop of the Centre's rejection of the autonomy resolution passed by the State Assembly last Tuesday.

The Chief Minister and party president, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, was the last to arrive. He said it would take them an hour to deliberate upon issues and take a decision. When his son and Union Minister, Mr. Omar Abdullah, expressed surprise at this, he said, ``Yes. We are going to finish it by that time.''

However, Sheikh Nazir, who talked to the waiting mediapersons, said that the deliberations would resume tomorrow. When asked what options were being discussed, he shot back saying ``to remain in the NDA or not''. He added that all members had spoken in favour of autonomy.

On the Union Law Minister, Mr. Ram Jethmalani's statement that a dialogue could be held, he retorted, ``What dialogue? What we had to say we have said and conveyed it to the Centre and asked them to take positive steps.'' But the Centre had summarily rejected the resolution. ``It could have debated whether to give the pre- 1953 position or not.''

Mr. Nazir denied that the party had softened its stand on autonomy, saying, ``We have given this agenda to the people after the Congress(I) and the UF Governments failed to keep their commitments.'' Any MP was free to move a motion in Parliament if he had the support.

Mr. Nazir, however, said that NC was not for confrontation with the Centre and adding that the BJP was not the NDA.

The meeting started with speeches by Mr. Qamar Ali Akhoon, Mr. B.A. Nengroo, Mr. Chuni Lal Khajuria and Mr. Togdan Rimpooche, who condemned the Centre for turning down the autonomy resolution. The mood of the members was defiant but there was no clear indication as to which way the wind was blowing.

This is for the first time that the working committee is meeting after the Union Cabinet rejected the autonomy resolution. Dr. Abdullah holds the key, but pressure is building up within his party on severing ties with the NDA. Mr. Omar Abdullah was summoned on Saturday to attend the meeting. The Centre, on its part, has been trying to persuade Dr. Abdullah not to quit the NDA.

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