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Omar to approach J&K governor on Friday

By Onakr Singh in New Delhi
January 01, 2009 22:50 IST

Jammu and Kashmir's chief minister designate Omar Abdullah said that he would not accept any tainted person as his deputy from the Congress party. He made it clear during his two hour interaction with the senior congress leaders headed by External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Defence Minister A K Antony, Prithviraj Chavan, Ahmed Patel, former chief minister Gulam Nabi Azad and state congress president Saifuddin Soz.

After the talks Chavan told the media that the legislators of National Conference and Cogress would elect their leaders in next few days.

Omar Abdulah said that he is returning to Srinagar on Friday morning and would write letter to the governor informing him that he is now a part of the ruling front.

The NC and the Congress would also join hands to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir.

Asked if he is satisfied with the present talk and when would he take over as the chief minister of the state, Abdullah said that the NC have already shortlisted three persons for ministership and would expect the Congress to do the same.

"Since home minister has called a meeting of the chief ministers on internal security on Januray 6, I hope to take over before that so that I could represent  J&K as the chief minister. But we have few formalities. The governor's rule has to be revoked before that," Omar Abdullah said.

Chavan said that a special committee would over look the performance of the state government from time to time. " As far as the common minimum programme goes  it would be decided over time," he clarified. Chavan refused to comment on whether the NC and Congress would take turns in sharing power as was done in case of the previous Congress -PDP alliance

Onakr Singh in New Delhi

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