Decision to challenge dissolution rests with PDP: Omar

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah said on Thursday that it was for the PDP to challenge the Governor's decision to dissolve the state Assembly.

Addressing the media here, Abdullah said that since it was the PDP and not the National Conference that had sent a letter to the Governor claiming majority support in the Assembly, it was for the PDP to challenge Satya Pal Malik's Wednesday night move.

"We never sent any letter to the Governor. The primary decision to challenge the Governor rests with the PDP," he said.

The National Conference reacted angrily against BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav's comment that the National Conference and PDP had boycotted the urban local bodies polls at Pakistan's behest and were now trying to forge an alliance under directions from Islamabad.

"It is unfortunate that a senior BJP leader has said that we got instructions from Pakistan. I challenge Ram Madhav and his associates to prove this with evidence.

"You are disrespecting the sacrifices of my colleagues who refused to dance to Pakistan's instructions and died," he said.

In a lighter vein, Abdullah said this was for the first time that a fax machine did not work in a Governor's office and became responsible for the death of democracy.

"This fax machine is a one-way fax, it has only outgoing and no incoming. This is a unique fax machine and an investigation should be done."

The comment was in response to PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti's statement that her party had sent a fax to the Raj Bhawan claiming support of 56 MLAs but it did not reach Raj Bhawan.

--IANS

sq/mr