Omar could serve J&K better: Farooq

Virtually endorsing Omar Abdullah for the Chief Ministership, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah today said his son could better serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir and he himself would prefer to remain in Parliament.

"Why not? Omar is a young man. If he could serve better, why not?" Abdullah said when asked if Omar could be the choice of the the National Conference for the chief minister's post.

The former Chief Minister, who is a Rajya Sabha member, said he would like to continue in the Upper House of Parliament.

"I would rather be in Parliament," he said.

The party had earlier projected Abdullah senior as its chief ministerial candidate during the elections to the 87-member assembly.

Abdullah, however, said since the state was heading for a hung Assembly, the NC would like to take a decision on chief ministership in consultation with the future coalition partner.

"The two parties will decide about the Chief Minister candidate. We have gone to the people with the promise of providing a good governance," he said.

The NC patron dismissed the suggestion that the relations between him and his son Omar was not cordial by saying "father and son do not differ".