PDP will tie up with Congress or BJP? Mehbooba keeps everyone guessing

Keen to reset terms of coalition, but will not overturn her late father’s last biggest political decision, suspense surrounds government formation in Jammu and Kashmir after Mufti Mohammad Sayeed passed away. Mehbooba Mufti, who has been almost unanimously picked to be the next chief minister, is in no hurry to form a government. Speaking to the NDTV, sources said that Mehbooba was hurt the way the BJP government at the Centre treated PDP in relation with the release of economic packages. Political circles were teeming with speculations that an alliance between…

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SVC recommends restoration of land worth crores to J&K Govt

The State Vigilance Commission (SVC) today recommended restoration of prime land worth crores of rupees to the state government after the land was ‘illegally sold’ off by some private persons to other people. During an enquiry into an alleged illegal transfer of land, it surfaced that Kulwant Singh and Bikarm Singh of Tral in Pulwama district have sold prime state land, vested in them by virtue of section 4 and section 8 of The J&K Agrarian Reforms Act, 1976, SVC officials said. Kulwant Singh, while recording his statement during proceedings…

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Omar rules out unilateral support to PDP in govt formation

As suspense mounted over government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference leader Omar Abdullah tonight ruled out the party’s unilateral support to PDP from outside in any new dispensation with Congress backing. Omar, a former chief minister who was the late Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s predecessor, also regretted the political uncertainty in the state where some people are “fishing in troubled waters” and asserted that an “accountable government” should be in place at the earliest. The state, where PDP is in alliance with BJP, is currently under Governor’s rule. “I…

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Clashes Occur at Funeral of Rebel Commander in Kashmir

Clashes have erupted in Kashmir after police fired tear gas to stop thousands of people from marching in the funeral procession of a rebel commander killed in a clash with government forces. Police Inspector-General Syed Javaid Mujtaba Gillani said the militant, Sajad Ahmed Bhat, was killed in the clash Monday night on the outskirts of Srinagar, the main city in the disputed Himalayan region. On Tuesday, thousands of people chanting slogans against Indian rule assembled in the militant’s home village and tried to march on the highway connecting the region…

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Cold wave condition in Kashmir is likely to intensify further

Cold wave continued across the Kashmir on Tuesday as the Met Office said its intensity is likely to further in the days to come. “Because of clear night sky the present cold wave condition in the (Kashmir) valley is likely intensify further as we expect weather to remain dry during the next 24 hours,” a meteorological department official told IANS on Tuesday. “The minimum temperature was minus 0.8 in Srinagar today (Tuesday) while it was minus 2.1 in Pahalgam and minus 6.0 in Gulmarg. Leh town recorded minus 13.1 and…

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Mehbooba maintains the suspense

She had confided to BJP leaders her disappointment with the Centre over flood relief assistance Monday went by without Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti taking oath as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in a sign that she was determined to take the post on her own terms. This was acknowledged by her ally, BJP, with its general secretary Ram Madhav (who had helped to negotiate the alliance) saying: “It is for the PDP to take the first call… It has to decide on its leader and come…

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Omar derides speculation on govt formation, Mehbooba’s critics

Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today scoffed at speculations over government formation in the state, saying they were nothing more than well crafted smoke and mirrors, and decried criticism of PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti. “You have a grief stricken daughter who isn’t ready to take over just yet. All the other stuff is well crafted smoke & mirrors, nothing more,” Omar wrote on Twitter. He said there was “so much needless speculation about what is & isn’t happening in the PDP or BJP and all of it…

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Hurriyat (G) to reward toppers: Geelani

Felicitating the students of class 10th, especially Ghalib Afzal Guru, who bagged 19th position in class tenth exams, the Hurriyat Conference (G) chairman Syed Ali Geelani on Monday announced that his amalgam would reward top 20 position holders. Geelani praised the teachers of all the schools who showed best performance in the 10th class exams including a school at Dooru, Sopore, namely Unique Public School. “The performance of our children in studies despite living in the worst kind of conflict zone of the world is very encouraging and praiseworthy. Kashmiri…

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Pulwama traders bear brunt of continuous shutdown

We just want to have a simple signpost at the graveyard:  Auqaf  With complete shutdown being observed in Pulwama town of south Kashmir for the 13th consecutive day, the business community is facing the brunt of the stalemate over the erection of a memorial plaque at the local graveyard. A heavy contingent of police and paramilitary personnel was deployed across the town. The situation remained tense after police detained around three dozen youth in the past couple of days. Most of the shops remained closed till noon. However, in the…

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Governor reviews flood rehab, internal security

Governor NN Vohra today reviewed the progress on permanent restoration of assets damaged during the 2014 deluge, relief and rehabilitation of Kashmiri migrants and internal security at a high-level meeting with the Chief Secretary, Director General of Police and the Home Secretary. After his meeting with the Secretaries at the civil secretariat here today, the Governor held separate review meetings with Chief Secretary BR Sharma and later with DGP K Rajendra and Home Secretary RK Goyal. Vohra asked the Chief Secretary, who briefed the Governor about important matters pending since…

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