NEW DELHI/SRINAGAR: A pro-India coalition will head the Kashmir state government, ending nearly six months of federal administration that saw deadly protests against New Delhi’s rule, leaving more than 50 people dead.
No single party managed to win a majority in the election, which took place in several phases and ended last week, and so the major parties scrambled to form an alliance to take power.
The National Conference, which with 28 seats won more than any other party, and the Congress party, which won 17, struck an agreement yesterday to form a new coalition, giving them a majority in the state legislature, officials said.
At 38, National Conference chief Omar Farooq will be the youngest chief minister Indian-ruled Kashmir has ever seen.
Omar Abdullah met Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi yesterday. “It is going to be a government of partnership,” Omar told reporters after talks with Sonia Gandhi. “We have an equal stake in the improvement of the lot of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.” Among others who met Sonia with Omar included former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, Union minister and J&K Congress chief Saifuddin Soz and party general secretary Rahul Gandhi attended the meeting.
“It has been decided that I will lead the coalition government in the state of which Congress will be a part of,” Omar told reporters. Senior Congress leader and J&K in-charge, Prithviraj Chavan addressed the reporters along with Omar.
