Omar had agreed on rotational CM with BJP: Sajad Lone

Sajad Gani Lone, chairman of People's Conference, said on Tuesday that the National Conference vice president and former state chief minister Omar Abdullah had agreed on rotational chief ministership with the Bharatiya Janata Party after 2014 assembly elections.

"As per the understanding, Omar was to get the chief ministerial post for three years and the BJP for the rest three years," Lone told a local news agency.

He said the demand had been made by the BJP when Omar approached them for a coalition after 2014 elections.

He also said Omar had met the BJP president along with two others to work out a coalition with the BJP.

Omar's NC had got 15 seats in the 87-member state assembly in 2014 elections while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) headed by Mufti Muhammad Sayeed had 28 seats.

The BJP finally decided to enter into a coalition with the PDP after Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the people had voted for change by giving the PDP 28 seats.

The BJP got 26 seats in the 2014 state assembly elections.

The People's Conference has fielded candidates for all the three Lok Sabha seats in the Valley.

PC's Raja Aijaz Ali is pitted against Mohammad Akbar Lone of the National Conference in Baramulla lok Sabha seat where campaigning ended today. The constituency goes to the polls in the first phase of general election on April 11.

--IANS

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