By IANS,
Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra Monday asked Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad to prove his majority in the legislative assembly by July 7 as the ruling coalition partner People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has withdrawn from the government.
Earlier, Azad wrote to the governor that even after the PDP withdrew support to his government, he still enjoyed the confidence of the majority of members in the 87-seat assembly.
“In line with the democratic traditions, I am prepared to prove my majority in the legislative assembly as and when your excellency desires,” Azad’s communication to the Raj Bhavan had said.
However, it remains to be seen how Azad manages to prove his majority as the Congress has only 21 seats in the house and the main opposition National Conference and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) are not likely to support him.
National Conference president Omar Abdullah called on Vohra at the Raj Bhavan Monday and told him his party would not support the Congress-led government in case Azad was to prove his numbers on the floor of the house, party sources here told IANS.
Meanwhile, Revenue Minister B.R. Kundal would hold the additional charge of finance and planning departments while all other portfolios that fell vacant after PDP ministers’ resignations would now be in the charge of the chief minister himself.
The PDP, which has 18 members in the assembly, withdrew from the government Saturday following its differences with the Congress over a controversial land allotment to the Amarnath shrine authorities.