Disquiet in Congress over Omar’s speech, tie up with PDP not ruled out

NEW DELHI - There is a reported disquiet within the Congress rank and file over Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s controversial speech in the State Assembly earlier this week.

“There is an alarm in the party over Omar Abdullah’s speech and Congress leaders are not happy about it. They are looking into the issue with some seriousness,” said Congress sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Asked whether the Congress could consider a tie-up with the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), which is led by Mehbooba Mufti, the sources said several options were on the table for consideration.

They further said that Abdullah’s speech on the law and order in the State and his controversial remark about Jammu and Kashmir not merging with India, but acceding to it, had left most in the party disappointed.

They said that when the Congress tied up with the National Conference, they had high hopes and expectations from the alliance and from a young and emerging leader Omar Abdullah.

Abdullah had on Wednesday said neither he nor his council of ministers were acting as puppets of the Centre.

He further said that Kashmir is an issue between two neighbours and not about development.

In an apparent reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party ’s stand that there was no dispute to be resolved with regard to Jammu and Kashmir, Abdullah said if that would have been the case, there would have been no need for the Shimla Agreement, the Lahore Declaration and for talks in Agra and Delhi.

“Kashmir was an outstanding issue which needs to be resolved. It is a political issue and cannot be addressed through development, employment or good governance only,” he said. (ANI)