Will seek time from Raj Bhavan on Saturday for staking claim to form govt: Farooq
Srinagar (PTI): National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah Friday said the INDIA bloc will seek time from the Raj Bhavan on Saturday for staking claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
"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," he told reporters here.
He expressed hope the NC-Congress alliance, of which CPI(M) is also a part, will get the time so that "we can inform our friends to attend the ceremony".
In response to a question about the lone AAP MLA-elect extending support to the NC, Abdullah said the alliance needs to win the hearts of the people of Jammu and overcome the "false propaganda" that has been spread there.
"It is not their (people of Jammu) fault, they have been fed that stone-pelting will start and terrorism will increase, but they have not realised that their lands have been taken, jobs have been taken, everything has vanished, but they have still fallen for their propaganda. We want to clear this propaganda from their hearts.
"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.
"The 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," the NC chief added.
Abdullah agreed there are apprehensions that the government in a union territory setup might have limited powers. "That is why we are seeking restoration of statehood so that the government is able to work."
He said there were no differences with the alliance partner Congress on the government formation.
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Sujit Nair raises concerns over speculation of DMK-AIADMK understanding to block TVK
Chennai: Journalist and political commentator Sujit Nair has expressed concern over speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam could explore a post-poll understanding to prevent Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam from forming the government in Tamil Nadu.
In a social media post, Sujit Nair said the election verdict in Tamil Nadu reflected a clear public demand for political change and argued that the mandate should be respected irrespective of political preferences.
Referring to reports and political discussions surrounding a possible understanding between the DMK and AIADMK, he said he hoped such developments remained only speculative conversations and did not turn into reality.
Nair stated that if such an alliance were to take shape, it would raise serious questions about ideological politics in the country. He said TVK had emerged through a democratic electoral process and that the legitimacy to govern in a parliamentary democracy comes from the people’s verdict.
According to him, attempts to prevent an electoral winner from forming the government through unexpected political arrangements may be constitutionally valid, but many people could view them as politically opportunistic.
He further said that such a move could particularly affect the political image of the DMK, which has historically projected itself around ideology, social justice and opposition politics. Nair said that in ideological terms, the DMK appeared closer to TVK than to the AIADMK, and joining hands with its long-time political rival only to remain in power could weaken its broader political narrative.
He added that the same questions would apply to the AIADMK as well, as the party had spent decades positioning itself against the DMK and such an arrangement could create discomfort among its cadre and supporters.
Drawing a comparison with Maharashtra politics in 2019, Nair said he had expressed similar views when the Shiv Sena formed an alliance with the Indian National Congress and the Nationalist Congress Party after the Assembly elections.
He said post-poll alliances between long-standing political rivals often create a public perception that ideology and electoral mandates become secondary when political power equations come into play.
Nair also said such developments increase public cynicism towards politics and reinforce the belief among voters that ideology is often sidelined after elections.
He maintained that the Tamil Nadu verdict was emphatic and said respecting both the spirit and substance of the mandate was important for the credibility of democratic politics.
