Azad rules out change of CM, says Omar to stay on

Devsar, Kashmir: Ruling out change of guard in the chief ministerial office, Union Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today said the National Conference would head the coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir for the rest of its tenure to ensure stability. “We do not want change every two years or every three years. We do not want transfers and appointments done every day,” Azad said, addressing a rally at Devsar in south Kashmir’s Kulgam district, 90 kms from Srinagar. [caption id=“attachment_296238” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Omar Abdullah will stay on as Chief Minister till the end of his 6-yr term. Reuters”]  [/caption] He said Chief Minister Omar Abdullah would complete his six-year term in office and ruled out any change of guard midway. “We do not believe in that kind of politics where chief minister changes after three years. We want the chief minister to be there for at least six years and we have decided that National Conference’s (NC) chief minister will be there for six years,” Azad, who holds the health portfolio, said. “But, we would also like that there is no discrimination between Congress and National Conference. There should be no discrimination about whose constituency it is, which party’s MLA or MLC,” he added. Azad, who is also a former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, said if Congress is weakened in the Jammu division, then either of the two regional parties, NC or People’s Democratic Party, will have to tie up with the BJP and RSS to form the government. “Are they ready for it? And if the Congress party is weakened in Kashmir, then some pro-Pakistan party may win. Will NC and PDP then be ready to go along with them?” he asked. Azad also asked the state government to “properly” use the funds meant for development of the state. “There will never be dearth of funds from Centre to this state for developmental works. It is the duty of the ministers, whether they belong to Congress or National Conference, that they use this money and use it properly,” he said. He also urged officials to “move fast” on pending developmental work in the state. PTI