No Alliance; Regional Autonomy To Be Priority Of NC Govt: Farooq Abdullah

Katra, Dec 07: Ruling out any alliance in the ensuing elections to Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah on Friday said after voting to power, his party’s government will grant regional autonomy to various regions of the State.

“National Conference has already formulated a blue-print in this regard, which will be top on the agenda of our government”, Dr Farooq Abdullah said while talking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here this afternoon.

Flanked by Provincial President Devender Singh Rana, the National Conference chief said Jammu and Kashmir is a unique state that needs special dispensation in terms of autonomy to different regions to satiate urges and aspiration of the people. He said a major ground work has been done in this regard between 1996 and 2000 with avowed objective of empowering the people at grass roots level and enabling them to take decisions as per their regional priorities.

“Such a mechanism under the overall superintended of the State government will further strengthen the regional unity, which is imperative for the singular entity of Jammu and Kashmir”, Dr Farooq Abdullah said, hoping this will not only help in decentralization of powers but enhance the spirit of participatory decision making. In fact, he said, devolving power to people is political philosophy of National Conference which firmly believes people as real fountain head of power. He said the regional autonomy will build mutual trust between the people and result in harmonious growth of the state, with people getting equal opportunities of progress and development.

To a question, Dr Farooq Abdullah said that National Conference will not forge any alliance with any political party in the ensuing elections and exuded confidence about massive mandate from the people, who have realized the crucial need of strong and stable government in the state to meet various challenges confronted to it. He said the government on crutches cannot deliver, which has been proven many a times.

Dr Farooq Abdullah referred to the positive change in public mood, saying that the goodwill for National Conference reflects their urge to steer out the state from the morass created by misgovernance of the previous government to peace and development. He said National Conference is deeply rooted across the state with its visibility in every nook and corner. “With the support of the people we are confident to provide a stable and people-friendly government in Jammu and Kashmir”, he asserted. (KNS)