Omar questions 'change' of Congress' stand

Hitting back at Congress' charge that his government was a "failure", Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today questioned the coalition partner as to why it did not raise the issue seven months ago when he was campaigning for Rahul Gandhi.
The National Conference working president's response came days after Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad alleged that NC government in the state was a "failure".
"He (Azad) did not see my government as a failure when I was trying to make (Congress vice-president) Rahul Gandhi the prime minister of the country. He should have talked about these things seven months before. He did not see my government as a failure when I was trying to make him a MP in Udhampur.

"He would praise me in every speech then. He would praise the NC and my government in every speech. What has suddenly changed in seven months?" Omar said.
"I acted against (Congress minister G M) Saroori and Peerzada Syed. I even ordered a vigilance inquiry against my deputy CM (Tara Chand) and his department.
"If Azad felt that Congress ministers were corrupt, why he did not take action against them?... This is opportunistic politics. I do not do it and if Azad wants to do it, he is welcome," Omar told reporters here.
The chief minister also said he was "surprised" that Congress was solely opposing National Conference (NC) during the campaign.

"I did whatever I could. Let Azad sahib tell us what he did during his rule. I took action against Congress ministers. Did he act against any PDP minister (Congress' coalition partner)? No, not once. I am surprised that Congress is solely opposing the NC today and Azad is saying that my government was a failure," Omar said.