Page 6 - National Conference

INDIA bloc's cracks widen, National Conference, PDP to go solo in Kashmir

Mehbooba Mufti expresses disappointment after Farooq Abdullah-led Jammu and Kashmir National Conference's decides to fight in all three seats of Kashmir

National Conference will contest Lok Sabha elections alone: Farooq Abdullah

Abdullah was earlier this month summoned by the ED in connection with a money laundering case about the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association

ED issues fresh summons to Farooq Abdullah in JKCA money laundering case

The Enforcement Directorate has issued a fresh summons to National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah for questioning in a money laundering case pertaining to the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA), official sources said Monday. He has been asked to depose at the ED office in Srinagar Tuesday. The 86-year-old politician was last called by the central agency in this case on January 11 but he did not appear before it. He is not expected to appear at the Srinagar office of the central agency this time too, sources close to him said. The ED investigation pertains to alleged financial irregularities at the Jammu and Kashmir Cricket Association. The MP from Srinagar was charge-sheeted by the Enforcement Directorate in this case in 2022. The case relates to siphoning off JKCA funds by way of transfer to various personal bank accounts of unrelated parties, including those of JKCA office-bearers, and by way of unexplained cash withdrawals from its bank accounts, the ED ha

National Conference, Congress alliance sweep LAHDC-Kargil elections

The counting took place on Sunday for the first key election in Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, and the creation of the Ladakh Union territory

Kargil will create an atmosphere against BJP, says NC ahead of results

The National Conference and the BJP on Saturday expressed confidence of a good performance in the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council-Kargil (LAHDC) elections, a day before the announcement of its results. The election to 26 seats of the 30-member hill council was held earlier this week. Four councillors with voting rights are nominated by the administration. It was the first poll in Kargil after the abrogation of Article 370 and the creation of the Union Territory of Ladakh in August 2019. The NC and the Congress had announced a pre-poll alliance, but put up 17 and 22 candidates respectively. Both parties said the arrangement had been restricted to areas where there was a tough contest with the BJP. The BJP, which won one seat in the last election and later took its tally to three with the joining of two PDP councillors, fielded 17 candidates this time. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) tried its luck from four seats, while 25 independents were also in the fray. The NC, which hea

Centre seeks apology from Akbar Lone for raising 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan

The Centre on Monday told the Supreme Court that it wants National Conference leader Mohd Akbar Lone to apologise for raising Pakistan Zindabad' slogan in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in 2018. Lone is the lead petitioner challenging the abrogation of Article 370 that accorded special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. A five-judge bench headed by Chief Justice DY Chandrachud was told by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, that Lone is the lead petitioner challenging the abrogation of the provision, but he has to state that he owes allegiance to the Constitution and apologise for raising the slogan on the floor of the House. The bench also comprising Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, BR Gavai and Surya Kant said it will seek a statement from Lone, when his turn for rejoinder arguments comes. The bench said it has gone through the report published in the newspaper and taken note of the submissions made in the court. Mehta said, "The

J&K politicians have learned to live under curbs post 2019: Omar Abdullah

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Saturday said the local political leaders have grown accustomed to curbs put on their movement post-August 2019 but such measures cannot weaken their connect with the masses. The erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir was bifurcated into two Union Territories of Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir in 2019, following the repeal of Article 370 which gave the former state special administrative powers. The former J&K chief minister expressed concern over the militant activity in the region, saying terrorism is rearing its head even in the area which had been declared militancy-free sometime back. Omar was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a party convention of Chenab valley zone functionaries at Batote in Ramban district. "This is not a new thing (restrictions on movement of NC leaders and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti). After August 5, 2019, it is a regular affair and we have become habitual of it but we have also learned how to dodge

Legislators keep aside rivalry, meet for 1st national conference in Mumbai

Keeping aside political rivalry, nearly 2,000 legislators from across the country have gathered here to discuss ways to improve working of legislative assemblies and councils, which often witness acrimonious scenes. The first-ever National Legislators' Conference Bharat ((NLC Bharat) that began here on Thursday will see presiding officers of legislative assemblies and councils and legislators deliberating on various issues including technology-driven economic growth, adopting international best practices in law making, welfare politics and nurturing of constituencies. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla is scheduled to formally inaugurate the three-day conference. These discussions will be spread across ten thematic parallel sessions, where 50 legislators, under the guidance of senior members, will delve deeply into the topics including stress management and maintaining work-life balance. Former Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu, NCP chief Sharad Pawar, and former Jammu and Kashmir chief ...

Farooq Abdullah meets Deve Gowda, emphasises on unity of regional parties

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Wednesday emphasised upon regional parties coming together to fight the 2024 Lok Sabha election as it was necessary to save the country from being divided on religious lines. The National Conference president denounced films like 'Kashmir Files' and 'The Kerala Story', saying they were destroying India and its constitution by dividing people. Speaking to reporters after meeting former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda at his residence, the leader said India's diversity should be protected. "My message to everyone is India is unity in diversity. Let us protect the diversity. It will protect the unity of the country," Abdullah said responding to a query on the need to have a third front. When asked whether it was necessary for the regional parties to come together to fight the 2024 election against the BJP, Abdullah said, "The question is not BJP, it is the question of the nation. Do you want the nation to be divided on religious

New Parliament building looks pretty damn impressive: Omar Abdullah

National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Friday said the new Parliament building was a welcome addition and looks "pretty damn impressive", amid criticism by the opposition over its inauguration. Abdullah, whose party's MPs have also announced to boycott the inaugural ceremony, said when he was the member of the Lok Sabha, many of his colleagues often spoke about the need for a new and improved Parliament building. "Setting aside the brouhaha about the inauguration for a moment, this building is a welcome addition. The old Parliament House has served us well but as someone who has worked there for a few years, a lot of us often spoke amongst ourselves about the need for a new and improved Parliament building. Better late than never is all I'll say and this one looks pretty damn impressive," the NC vice president wrote on Twitter. As many as 19 opposition parties, including the Congress, Left, TMC, SP and AAP, came together on Wednesday and announced their decision to boycott the

Would rather wait for results than believe in exit polls: Farooq Abdullah

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah on Thursday said he would rather wait for assembly election results in Karnataka than believe in the exit polls. "We should wait for the results to come because I have seen that these polls can go anyway," Abdullah told reporters at Vihil Shopian, in south Kashmir, after he was asked to comment on the exit polls results. He was there to attend a party event. Most exit polls on Wednesday predicted a close contest between the Congress and the BJP in the high-stakes Karnataka Assembly polls with many pollsters giving an edge to the grand old party. Asked about the upcoming G20 tourism working group meeting in Kashmir, Abdullah, a former Union minister, said India hosting the summit this year was not something new as the grouping's host country changes every year. "G20 presidency goes to one of the 20 countries every year. This is not something new. The benefit of the G20 is that 20 countries present their problems, look for their ...

NC seeks implementation of 33% women reservation in Parliament, assemblies

The women's wing of the National Conference on Saturday held a day-long party convention here with its leader Shamima Firdous lashing out at the Centre and the Lieutenant Governor administration for their alleged failure to provide employment to women in Jammu and Kashmir. Firdous, a former MLA who is the state president of NC's women's wing, advocated the implementation of 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament and assemblies. The Centre and the J-K administration have not only failed to provide employment to the women folk but also plunged the weaker sex into a sea of miseries due to their misrule and anti-people policies, she said, addressing the convention at the party headquarters here. Firdous said there is a dire need to empower the women, especially those living in Jammu and Kashmir who have witnessed and faced the worst period of terror onslaught for over three decades. In order to empower women the first and foremost essential in today's scenario is the ...

PM to chair second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi today

With the aim to boost the partnership between the Centre and the State governments, PM Narendra Modi will chair the second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi today and tomorrow

PM Modi to chair second National Conference of Chief Secretaries in Delhi

The three-day Conference, from 5-7 January, will focus on achieving rapid and sustained economic growth in partnership with the States

Farooq Abdullah re-elected as NC chief after presidential polls were held

Former chief minister and Lok Sabha member, Dr. Farooq Abdullah was re-elected unopposed as the president of the National Conference (NC) party on Monday

Restore democratic rights of people of J-K: NC to govt on Constitution Day

The National Conference on Saturday asked the government to restore the democratic rights of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. Speaking on the Constitution Day, NC MPs Mohammad Akbar Lone and Hasnain Masoodi said people of Jammu and Kashmir are being "denied" their rights enshrined in the Constitution of India. The BJP-led central government has disrespected the Constitution while dealing with Jammu and Kashmir, they alleged. "Had the present ruling dispensation been so considerate of supremacy of the Constitution, it would not have kept the erstwhile historic state under the spell of long undemocratic rule of outsourced bureaucracy, they said in a statement.

Will fight next assembly elections: National Conference leader Farooq

Having already announced his decision to step down as president of National Conference, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said he will be contesting the next assembly elections. Abdullah, who on Friday had announced he will be relinquishing the presidency of NC next month, said he is not escaping the responsibility and will continue to work to strengthen the party. "Insha Allah, I am going to fight the next Assembly elections whenever held (in J&K)," Abdullah told reporters here on the sidelines of a function organised to welcome new entrants into the party. Several prominent political activists, including Gurjeet Sharma from Nagrota, joined the National Conference in presence of Abdullah and Jammu provincial president Rattan Lal Gupta. Asked about the next party president, he said the National Conference is a democratic party and the party elections will take place on December 5 to elect a new leader. "People will file their nominations and the .

Farooq Abdullah not to seek re-election as NC chief in Dec 5 polls: Party

National Conference (NC) said its president Farooq Abdullah has refused to seek re-election to the post, elections for which will be held on December 5

I'm still National Conference president, haven't resigned: Farooq Abdullah

"I am still the party chief till elections and till someone else is ready to shoulder responsibilities of this post," he told reporters.

NC chief Farooq Abdullah asks people to stand up against divisive forces

National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said peoples' unity is crucial for building India and asked them to stand up against the "divisive forces" trying to weaken the country from within. Abdullah made these remarks while addressing an event to celebrate the 75th birthday of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Chagan Bhujbal in Mumbai on Thursday. "Our country is diverse, there is diversity of faiths, cultures and climates. What unites us is our faith. Religion doesn't divide people, it unites. We all together can build India by living with camaraderie, he said, stressing on working towards ensuring unity in the country. The NC president said there are no external threats to the country, "there are divisive forces within the country that are weakening it". We should stop seeing ourselves as Hindus, Muslims, and Sikhs. I'm an Indian Muslim. From Kashmir to Kanyakumari, we have to unite this country, and that can only be achieved by living in friendship," he ...