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On Saturday, the National Conference-Congress alliance in Jammu and Kashmir is set to seek time from the Raj Bhavan to stake its claim to form the government in the Union Territory.
After the INDIA bloc’s win in the J&K Assembly polls, which saw the Farooq Abdullah-led NC win 42 seats, and its allies the Congress and CPI(M) win six and one, respectively, the alliance has 49 MLAs, enough to clear the 46-seat majority mark in the 90-member Assembly. The Mehbooba Mufti-led Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Aam Aadmi Party, which are members of the INDIA bloc at the national level, won three and one seats, respectively.
“The LG is coming (to the Valley). We will ask for time tomorrow and present the letter of support and seek a date for swearing-in ceremony for the new government,” Abdullah said Friday.
Abdullah agreed there are apprehensions that the government in a union territory setup might have limited powers. “We want to live in prosperity. There are many big problems which we are facing which we have to counter together. And in this we need the cooperation from the Central government,” he said. “Statehood should be restored so that the government can work. After all, this is the crown of India. If the crown is not shining, how will the country shine,” Abdullah added.
In poll-bound Maharashtra, Chief Minister Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the rival Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) will hold their respective Dussehra rallies in Mumbai on Saturday in a show of strength and set the tone by attacking each other ahead of Maharashtra assembly polls.
While the Shiv Sena (UBT) will hold its rally at the historic Shivaji Park in Dadar, Shinde will address his faction at Azad Maidan in south Mumbai.
Ahead of the rallies, both sides have released teasers. The Shinde-led faction’s teaser showed a tiger, with Sena written on it, being betrayed by tying it to the Congress with a rope. Animation used in the teaser goes on to show Shinde emerging and cutting the rope with an arrow. In its teaser, the Shiv Sena (UBT) talks about saving Maharashtra’s pride and burying traitors, a reference to MLAs who rebelled against Uddhav Thackeray.
At the rally, Thackeray, who blames the BJP for splitting his party, is also expected to launch attacks on its former ally. The rallies are expected to boost the morale of the workers from both the sides as the state will go to polls next month. The term of the current assembly ends on November 26.
Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the Dussehra celebrations at Red Fort on Saturday.
Baramulla MP and Awami Ittehad Party chief Engineer Rashid’s bail is set to end on Saturday. Rashid had been in custody since 2019 after being arrested by the NIA under UAPA over his alleged involvement in a 2017 terror funding case. Rashid had moved court seeking interim bail to campaign during the Assembly elections in J&K. After initially being granted bail till October 2, he was granted an extension till October 12. Rashid will now have to surrender on Sunday.
– With PTI inputs
