Year: 2016

JK Govt formation: Numbers firmly in PDP-BJP’s favour, but here are the other equations

Editor

PDP had bagged the highest number of seats out of total 87 in 2015 assembly elections.  The demise of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed on January 7 has created a power vacuum in Jammu and Kashmir. With the possibility of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti becoming the next CM, there have been a lot of uncertainty surrounding the continuation of the BJP-PDP alliance in the state. After a party meeting on Sunday, it was reported that Mehbooba will not overturn her father’s decision and continue the alliance with BJP. Also, the…

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Farooq bats for dissolution of Assembly, fresh polls

Editor

National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah today called for dissolution of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly and holding fresh elections if PDP and BJP fail to form a government, after he retracted from his yesterday’s statement that his party would think over if a proposal to form the government comes from the saffron party. “If they (PDP and BJP) cannot solve the problems of the people, the assembly must be dissolve and hold new elections,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters on the sidelines of a private function here today. Asked to comment…

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Omar rules out tying up with BJP to form govt in JK

Editor

A day after National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said he was open to discuss a tie-up with BJP for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir, his son and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today ruled out an alliance with the saffron outfit, saying the party “is not power hungry” and would not make an “ideological compromise”. “NC is not power hungry and is not interested in political power that comes through an ideological compromise. We shunned prospects of an alliance with the BJP a year ago and the reasons for…

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Cop decamps with four rifles from DSP’s residence in south Kashmir

Editor

A cop of Jammu and Kashmir Police has decamped with four rifles from the residence of a top-ranking police officer in south Kashmir. Sources told KIF on Saturday that Shakoor Ahmad, who was posted as Personal Security Officer (PSO) to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) and SDPO Bijbehara Irshad Ahmad Bhat in Bijbehara area of Anantnag district, decamped with the rifles last night. Ahmad, a resident of Kundalan in Shopian district, was escorting Irshad, when he was badly injured in a militant attack recently, said a police officer. Sources believe…

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Petrol, diesel prices cut

Editor

Petrol price was today cut by 32 paise and diesel by 85 paise a litre, the fourth reduction in rates in six weeks on the back of softening global oil prices. Petrol in Delhi will cost Rs 59.03 per litre with effect from midnight tonight as against Rs 59.35 per litre currently. A litre of diesel will cost Rs 44.18 as opposed to Rs 45.03 presently, said Indian Oil Corp (IOC), the nation’s biggest fuel retailer. This the fourth reduction in rates since December 1. Rates were on that day…

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Fish production drops, Nadru vanishes in Wular lake

Editor

Rampant pollution and encroachments in the Wular lake are taking serious toll on the production of fish, nadru (lotus stem) and singhare (water chestnuts) in this lake. Experts said the rampant pollution, accumulation of silt over the years and degradation of water quality in the lake have affected the lake ecosystem and the production of fish, nadru and singhare (water chestnuts). “The decrease in the water level has further led to decline in the fish production besides affecting the water bird diversity and shifting of vegetation belts. This has caused…

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BJP on a sticky wicket

Editor

Sheikh Shabir Sudden death of Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed is an irreparable loss to his party PDP. Since his demise, PDP has been in a fix over continuing the government with the erstwhile partner BJP. In fact Sayeed’s departure is no little loss to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which had entered into an alliance with PDP and formed the government in March 2015. By winning 25 seats in 2014 assembly polls, BJP had not only silenced its critics but also set the cat among the pigeons of the other…

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Mehbooba’s hesitation in assuming power in Jammu Kashmir!

Editor

-Dr. Abdul Ruff Jammu Kashmir, already troubled, is now without a government for days as the CM designate Mehbooba Mufti, daughter of former CM Mufti Mohammad Sayeed who passed away last week, is not showing any inclination to hurriedly assume chief ministership in Srinagar. She is mourning the death of her father cum political mentor. Since then, the future of the BJP-PDP alliance has been under a cloud with Mehbooba Mufti maintaining an uneasy silence over the fate of the coalition government. It is certain that the PDP has lost…

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Farooq in Jammu’s heritage Kanak Mandi, draws crowds

Editor

Presence of Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah in Kanak Mandi, the business hub of the winter capital  city of Jammu on Friday evening, had an electrifying effect with people in huge numbers assembling and jostling to have a close look of the former Chief Minister. Attired in black Bandhgala suit and a matching Karakuli, Dr Abdullah acknowledged the wishes of people with his charismatic smile and exchanged pleasantries with them. The youngsters, including Vaisahno Devi pilgrims, locals and those from the Valley and Ladakh, pushed each…

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Cops accused in Wamiq Farooq’s killing want case shifted out of Kashmir

Editor

The two policemen, who are in judicial custody in the Wamiq Farooq killing case, have sought transfer of the case proceedings out of Kashmir. The policemen have moved an application before the High Court at its Jammu wing. In the transfer petition filed before the High Court, where it was listed before the registry, one of the grounds cited by the accused policemen is that that they have a threat to their lives at the hands of complainant (father of slain teenager) and his counsel. The other ground cited is…

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