SRINAGAR, 23 October — The National Conference, voted out in the Jammu and Kashmir elections, could extend support to the Congress party in its bid to form a government in the Himalayan state, sources said yesterday.
As parleys between the Congress and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) of Mufti Muhammad Sayeed failed to break a deadlock on government formation, all eyes are on the National Conference, the single largest group in the 87-member assembly.
Tired of PDP’s refusal to stop claiming the right to form the government in Kashmir, the Congress, sources say, is looking for support from independents and smaller groups. But even if it gets their support, the Congress will be short of the 44 seats required for a majority in the assembly as the National Conference has 28 seats and PDP 16. The Congress commands 20 members.
Highly placed sources in the National Conference confirmed the possibility of the party supporting a Congress-led government in the state. If the National Conference does support the Congress, it could mark a snapping of relations with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee’s ruling coalition.
Congress leaders held a crucial meeting yesterday to try to end the deadlock on forming a coalition government in Kashmir.
Sources said the Congress has taken a decision on government formation in the state but the decision would be announced by party President Sonia Gandhi later, senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh said yesterday.
Asked when the decision would be made public, he said, "It is left to her." The party, however, seems all set to dump Sayeed from its efforts to form the government. Meanwhile, the security forces shot dead six rebels overnight in gunbattles in Kashmir, officials said yesterday.
