CM chairs joint meeting of alliance partners
Gopal Sharma
JAMMU, Mar 2: National Conference and Congress today resolved to jointly thwart any attack by the BJP Members in the Legislative Assembly, which is all set for beginning its first Budget Session in last seven years here from tomorrow.
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired the joint meeting of the alliance partners (NC-Cong) at CM’s official residence here this afternoon. Leaders of both the alliance partners devised joint strategy to tackle opposition (BJP) and discussed various issues for the smooth functioning of the House.
National Conference president Dr Farooq Abdullah and JKPCC chief , Tariq Hameed Karra (MLA) also attended the Joint Legislature Party meeting.
The joint meeting, attended by Congress Legislative Party leader G A Mir and CPI(M) MLA Mohd Yousuf Tarigami among others, took place shortly after Omar presided over a separate Legislature party meeting of the National Conference at his official residence here.
The Congress Legislature Party also met separately at Residency Road party headquarters before Mir joined the meeting convened by Omar Abdullah.
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JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra could not attend the CLP meeting being busy at party rally in Bishnah. However, other Congress Legislators including Peerzada Mohd Sayeed, Nizamuddin Bhat , Irfan Ahmed and Iftikhar Ahmed attended the meeting.
Since the joint meeting of the alliance partners commenced at 3 pm at CM house , JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra arrived at the venue on time.
“The Budget Session is happening after a long time and the people have high hopes with this Government. We all have a responsibility to live up to the people’s expectations so that they can get relief,” Tarigami said after the meeting.
He said the legislators have an opportunity to raise public issues inside the House.
“The Cabinet resolution on the restoration of statehood is before the Central Government which has also made repeated promises to the people of Jammu and Kashmir on the issue. They should fulfill their promise by restoring the Statehood so that the people are not rendered hopeless,” he said.
National Conference Chief Whip Mubarak Gul said the party Legislature Party met under the Chief Minister for an hour, discussing the party strategy to counter the opposition charges in the Assembly. He asked the party Members to come prepared in the House.
“It was followed by a meeting of alliance partners which was also attended by Farooq Abdullah. The concerns of the participants were heard and various issues were discussed in detail to ensure a peaceful session,” he said, adding the meeting took place in a cordial atmosphere.
Congress Legislature Party Leader G A Mir told the Excelsior that the people’s aspirations are linked with the Budget Session as earlier bureaucrats used to prepare the budget and the Parliament was discussing it.
“After seven years, the budget is being presented by an elected Government and it will reflect the people’s aspirations. The people’s voice will echo in the House during the session,” he said, assuring the people that the government will fulfill all its promises in the next five years.
Mir further said that there is no binding upon the MLAs to project public issues or the issues included in the respective manifestos. We expect the government to do better and take care of the public aspirations . It will be an opportunity to project the compulsions and difficulties being faced and project the current picture. This Government came at the time when the LG administration had already allotted or consumed the funds, leaving no scope for the elected representatives for public welfare. But now we expect to deliver good to the public as the budget has been prepared by the public representatives, Mir added.
“Only four-and-a-half months have passed since the formation of the (NC-led) Government but many people are questioning the Government that it has not done this or that. They should remember that when the Government was formed (on October 16), the budget had already been decided and it was also a big hurdle in the way,” he said.
Mir hoped that the budget being presented by the Government will address the popular public issues and will also lay the foundation for the implementation of the manifesto during the financial year 2025-26.
He said the Government has already passed a resolution in the last session held in Srinagar and so the delay in restoring Statehood is from the BJP-led Central Government which has made repeated promises to the people of J&K on the subject.
“When the Prime Minister chaired the All Party Meeting of J&K leaders (in June 2021), we were all witness to his statement that reorganization will be followed by delimitation, elections and then restoration of Statehood. The Centre should have fulfilled its promise after the formation of the popular Government in J&K,” he added.
Mir said the Congress has been repeatedly saying that restoration of Statehood was the biggest issue during last year’s Assembly elections and “INDIA bloc is committed to it. Congress being the largest party in the INDIA bloc has already made it clear in their working committee meeting and during the election campaigns.”
Asked about PDP planning to introduce bills to push for the prohibition of alcohol and seek regularization of property rights of residents on public land, he said it is up to the House to decide on such bills.
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