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Presidential form is best for India, says Farooq

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah has advocated the Presidential form of government for India.

Talking to the media in Pune, Dr Abdullah said the country today does not have charismatic leaders like Jawaharlal Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, and the time has come for the Presidential form of government to be debated for the twentyfirst century.

Dr Abdullah arrived in Pune on Monday to formally launch the Pune Vikas Aghadi of former Congressman Suresh Kalmadi. The former MP, who severed his relations with the Congress last month, on Monday announced his decision to contest as an independent candidate from the Pune Lok Sabha constituency.

In the Presidential form of governance, the President could pick his team from among experts in various fields to run the country, Dr Abdullah said.

Dr Abdullah said when former Union minister Vasant Sathe had first mooted the idea it had evoked a lot of hue and cry and even the Bharatiya Janata Party expressed its vehement opposition on the plea that it was being propagated with the intention of strengthening Indira Gandhi.

However, the time has now come when this issue should be debated to see the plus points of the Presidential form of government which is prevalant in the United States of America and France.

Dr Abdullah said instead of thrusting it through an enactment by Parliament, it should be debated nationally and at the state levels, after which a decision should be taken. Dr Abdullah , whose National Conference is one of the constituents of the United Front, said the present election scenario is a different one with the BJP and allies on one side, followed by the Congress and its allies and the United Front partners. There are a large number of fence-sitters, who would decide later as to who to vote for.

Asked for his comments on the post-poll scenario and the National Conference's role, the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister, even while stating that the United Front would form the government, said there are no permanent foes or friends in politics.

"We want a stable government at the Centre which would look into the welfare of the states and not bulldoze its policies as has been done in the past," he said.

UNI

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