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11882
Tue, 07/08/2008 - 15:17
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http://m.oananews.org//node/11882
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J-K assembly begins; Azad to seek confidence vote
Srinagar, July 8 (PTI) - The crucial one-day session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly began here Monday for a floor test of the Ghulam Nabi Azad government's strength, a week after Peoples Democratic party (P.D.P.) pulled out from thecoalition over the Amarnath land issue.
Ahead of the confidence vote, Azad, along with state Congress president Saif-ud-din Soz, met Governor N.N.VohraSunday night. The meeting lasted more than two hours.
Azad will deliver a speech highlighting the achievements of his government in the last three years beforeseeking a trust vote in the 89-member Assembly.
P.D.P. patron and M.L.A. from Pahalgham Mufti MohammedSayeed is currently in the United States on a private visit.
Earlier, Soz told PTI that "Congress is the only party that can ensure the integrity of Jammu and Kashmir and Congress has the will and potential to serve the people of thestate.
"The party shall prove its metal whenever required including in the hustings," Soz, who is also the Union WaterResources Minister, said.
The Congress, which has a strength of 22 M.L.As.
(including the nominated legislator Khem Lata Wakhloo), is eyeing on support from over a dozen independent M.L.As. and disgruntled legislators of PDP and Panthers Party, which was also its alliance partner in the government for nearly fouryears.
If Azad government fails to win the confidence vote, the state will have a brief spell of Governor's rule as there is no provision for a caretaker chief minister in theConstitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
The six-year term of the state Assembly is to end inmid-November this year.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah said his party M.L.As. will vote against the confidence motion and termed reports that some of his party legislators were goingto extend support to the Azad government as mere rumours.
"We have been together for last five and a half years and we will continue to remain like this," 38-year-old Omar,whose party has 24 M.L.As., told PTI.
C.P.M., with two M.L.As., had kept its cards close to chest. Its state secretary M.Y.Tarigami refused to comment as to what would be his party's stand during the confidence motion though sources in the party said that there was apossibility that they may abstain.
P.D.P., which has 17 M.L.As., had issued a whip to vote against the confidence motion. B.J.P. and Jammu Mukhti Morcha MLAs have said they would be voting against theCongress-led Government.
The confidence vote was necessitated after Governor N.
N.Vohra asked Azad to prove his majority on the floor of the house on July seven days after P.D.P. pulled out of the coalition over the land transfer to Amarnath Shrine Board bythe state cabinet on June 28.
The order was later revoked by the state cabinet after the Shrine Board accepted the Government's plea that it would be able to provide better facilities to pilgrims at muchlarger scale.
Ahead of the confidence vote, Azad, along with state Congress president Saif-ud-din Soz, met Governor N.N.VohraSunday night. The meeting lasted more than two hours.
Azad will deliver a speech highlighting the achievements of his government in the last three years beforeseeking a trust vote in the 89-member Assembly.
P.D.P. patron and M.L.A. from Pahalgham Mufti MohammedSayeed is currently in the United States on a private visit.
Earlier, Soz told PTI that "Congress is the only party that can ensure the integrity of Jammu and Kashmir and Congress has the will and potential to serve the people of thestate.
"The party shall prove its metal whenever required including in the hustings," Soz, who is also the Union WaterResources Minister, said.
The Congress, which has a strength of 22 M.L.As.
(including the nominated legislator Khem Lata Wakhloo), is eyeing on support from over a dozen independent M.L.As. and disgruntled legislators of PDP and Panthers Party, which was also its alliance partner in the government for nearly fouryears.
If Azad government fails to win the confidence vote, the state will have a brief spell of Governor's rule as there is no provision for a caretaker chief minister in theConstitution of Jammu and Kashmir.
The six-year term of the state Assembly is to end inmid-November this year.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah said his party M.L.As. will vote against the confidence motion and termed reports that some of his party legislators were goingto extend support to the Azad government as mere rumours.
"We have been together for last five and a half years and we will continue to remain like this," 38-year-old Omar,whose party has 24 M.L.As., told PTI.
C.P.M., with two M.L.As., had kept its cards close to chest. Its state secretary M.Y.Tarigami refused to comment as to what would be his party's stand during the confidence motion though sources in the party said that there was apossibility that they may abstain.
P.D.P., which has 17 M.L.As., had issued a whip to vote against the confidence motion. B.J.P. and Jammu Mukhti Morcha MLAs have said they would be voting against theCongress-led Government.
The confidence vote was necessitated after Governor N.
N.Vohra asked Azad to prove his majority on the floor of the house on July seven days after P.D.P. pulled out of the coalition over the land transfer to Amarnath Shrine Board bythe state cabinet on June 28.
The order was later revoked by the state cabinet after the Shrine Board accepted the Government's plea that it would be able to provide better facilities to pilgrims at muchlarger scale.
