‘Can’t understand NC’s autonomy and PDP’s Self Rule’
Srinagar: Senior Congress leader and minister for PHE Sham Lal Sharma Thursday stated that without the support of the state Congress, the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir is almost ‘impossible’.
Sharma while talking to KNS stated that the state Congress has strengthened its grounds in the state from the last 12 years and that no government in the state could be formed without the support of Congress. “The past record suggests that coalition government formation has become inevitable in the state. Whenever there is coalition, it will be with the state Congress.”
The senior Congress leader also took jibe at the demands put forth by the NC and Congress over restoration of autonomy and self rule respectively- maintaining that he still could understand such political demands raised by NC and Congress from the past several years. “I think autonomy means power to people and not the one being raised by NC. Also the self rule is merely a slogan by the PDP and no concrete document has been produced by the party so far.”
Commenting over the recent controversy that erupted after the government enhanced the retirement age of the state employees here, Sharma told KNS that holding of the separate press conferences by both Congress and NC leadership was the lack of communication between the two parties and that the same has been rectified later. “I think the blame game should end now. It is not the time to hold the collar of each other but to provide good governance to the people of the state at large. This blame game must end. For both good and the bad decisions, both NC and Congress is responsible as we run the state in a joint effort.”
Maintaining that the repeal of Article 370 is a hollow slogan being raised by the BJP to mislead people, Sharma stated that the masses here must not be swayed away by such tactics and that the state has other priorities. “We have the basic issues in the state that need to be looked into and 370 slogan is nothing but the politics being played to hinder development and resolution of the basic issues of the people here.”
Sharma while commenting over the issue of pre-poll alliance between NC and Congress for the forthcoming assembly polls in the state, stated that the decision can alone be taken by the party high command at New Delhi and that his personal opinion over the issue is not important. “I think the decision is well within the domain of party high command whatever the instructions would be, the state unit has to oblige it.”