The Hindu : `Centre willing to discuss devolution of powers'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jun 25, 2002

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`Centre willing to discuss devolution of powers'

By Neena Vyas

NEW DELHI JUNE 26. At a meeting with the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, the two Abdullahs — the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister, Farooq Abdullah, and his son and Minister of State for External Affairs, Omar Abdullah — raised the issue of autonomy for the State this evening, an issue which their party, the National Conference, is expected to use as a main election plank.

It seems that at the 35-minute meeting, Mr. Vajpayee did not reject the demand outright but hinted that the Centre could talk about "devolution of more powers'' to the State Government. Later, talking to the press, Omar Abdullah made it clear that the NC would like to open a dialogue on this with a representative of the Centre so that specifics could be discussed.

Clearly, the start of a formal dialogue with the Centre on "autonomy'' or "devolution of more powers'' would come as a welcome break for the NC which will be fighting Assembly elections later this year.

Yesterday, at a convention in Srinagar where the younger Abdullah took over the responsibility of president of the NC from his father, the two had lashed out at the Centre for failing to rein in the "terrorists" in the Sangh Parivar and going back on a promise to nominate Farooq Abdullah as the Vice-President.

Omar Abdullah today told reporters that while he had not offered to resign from his job as Central Minister — nor had the Prime Minister asked for his resignation — he had told Mr. Vajpayee that he could not do justice to his job as Minister of State. There was also a hint that as the NC president, it would not be proper for him to hold a junior portfolio in the Council of Ministers although he refused to comment on the possibility of his elevation to Cabinet rank. It may also be recalled that Farooq Abdullah had yesterday rejected the idea of serving as a Minister in the Vajpayee Government, and this has led to speculation that he could continue as the Chief Minister and his son could be elevated to Cabinet rank.

The earlier expectation in the NC was that Omar Abdullah would be projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate in the Assembly elections later this year — it would be an advantage to present a new face to the electorate — and the senior Abdullah would be "accommodated'' as the Vice-President when elections for that post take place in August.

Now, with A.P.J. Abdul Kalam as the Centre's candidate for the President's position, Dr. Abdullah's chances have virtually disappeared as it is not considered politically wise to have a minority candidate for both the posts, and it seems that a new "formula'' is being worked out.

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