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Farooq resigns as NC chief

By Shujaat Bukhari

SRINAGAR JUNE 12. The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, has resigned as president of National Conference (NC) clearing the decks for the election of the Union Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah, as the new president.

Dr. Abdullah, who took over as the party president in 1980 from his father, the late Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, tendered his resignation to the party general secretary, Sheikh Nazir Ahmed. "I have accepted his resignation and the senior vice president of the party, Chuni Lal Khajuria, has taken over as the working president,'' Mr. Nazir said. The election process has begun and the party president, in accordance with the constitution, has to step down 15 days before a new president is elected. The senior NC leader and Housing Minister, Mohiuddin Shah, has been appointed the Returning Officer.

Dr. Abdullah in his resignation letter said: ``In the light of the decision taken by the party working committee in April that the leadership be transferred to new generation, I hereby tender my resignation respecting the decision. It is, therefore, requested that I may be relieved of my responsibilities as president of the party.''

Mr. Nazir, however, took exception to reports in a section of media that Mr. Omar was being "crowned as the party president.''

"It is not a coronation ceremony but a democratic process which is going to take place in accordance with the direction of the Election Commission of India,'' he said, adding that the NC was a recognised party and "we have to follow the rules and elect our president under the relevant sections of our party constitution."

About 8,000 general council members and delegates will attend the convention when the election will take place and June 23 has been notified as the date for the elections. Mr. Omar will be filing his nomination papers later this week and is likely to be elected unopposed. He, however, will continue as a Central Minister as his father as Chief Minister, at least till the elections to Assembly are held in October, party sources said.

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