Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has directed massive relief and rehab exercise for the effected families and asked his ministerial colleagues Peerzada Mohammad Sayeed and Prem Sagar Aziz to visit the area on Wednesday for an on-the-spot assessment.
Sources close to the CM told Business Standard that Azad had suggested to the party's Central leaders that since he was not keen to be projected as the party's chief ministerial candidate for the next year's elections, he should be replaced at the earliest.
Mehbooba Mufti, president of People's Democratic Party, claimed that she has surrendered her security, and so has her party legislators.
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley was on Monday named as the Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha, while Congress veteran Ghulam Nabi Azad was declared the Leader of the Opposition.
The chief minister said he recently had meetings with the prime minister, union home minister and foreign minister and discussed matters pertaining to the dialogue and peace.
Congress jolted by SP move in Uttar Pradesh.
The Jammu and Kashmir chief minister said organisations that missed the first roundtable, will be persuaded to attend the May round.
Reacting to widespread criticism of the land lease decision, Mir said the decision to lease out 550 kanals of land in the Gulmarg tourist resort had been taken by the state cabinet headed by chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad in Jammu Friday once again categorically rejected the formula of Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf of self-governance and demilitarisation of Jammu and Kashmir.
"We want Mahatma Gandhi's India, return of our identity and honour which was given to us by the Indian Constitution and I am sure they have to return it with interest as well," PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti said.
The party also made it clear that no one will be permitted to undermine or weaken the party and its leadership. The CWC also resolved that inner-party issues cannot be deliberated through the media or in public fora and all such issues must be raised within the party 'in the interest of propriety and discipline'.
Indira Gandhi was assassinated on October 31 in 1984 by her Sikh bodyguards in retaliation for Operation Blue Star at the Golden Temple in June of 1984.
Khuda, an Indian Police Service officer from the 1974 batch, is an additional director-general of police and was heading the states intelligence wing.
United Progressive Allaince government has not closed its doors on divestment and the options are very much there, Union Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Wednesday.
"All those who are supporting the demand for clemency for Afzal Guru are traitors. [Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister] Ghulam Nabi Azad is a traitor."
Victims claim that a year later, many have not received even the first installment of relief.
Afzal case: BJP flays J&K CM's mercy plea
The withdrawal of support will not threaten the stability of the Congress-PDP coalition in the state.
Calling upon all airlines to launch their services in Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said the potential of the state should not be measured in terms of its population, but according to its status as the world famous tourist destination.
The Chief Minister said the people of the state attached high expectations to a ceasefire announcement on the eve of the fasting month as was done in 2002 during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed's tenure.
Azad also thanked the state governments, especially of Punjab and Haryana, non government organisations and armed forces for providing timely help in relief operations.
Soon after he took oath as Chief Minister at the head of a 12-member coalition government on Wednesday, Azad had asserted that custodial killings in the state would not be tolerated.
He said the state had suffered heavily on all fronts due to militancy.
The People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) on Monday said assembly elections should be held only after restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir and asked the Bharatiya Janata Party-led central government to honour its commitment made on the floor of Parliament.
The meeting also includes some of Sonia Gandhi's close associates and is the first effort by the Congress leadership for a reproachment with those who raised questions over the leadership.
It was not immediately clear whether the separatist groups, including Hurriyat Conference, would participate in the third round.
Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party stood united and together as a family and there are no dissensions pending after the announcement of elections to the party chief's post.
Baigh was inducted into the Jammu and Kashmir cabinet led by Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad more than a year after he was unceremoniously removed by his party.
The JKPCC hopes this move will provide ample employment opportunities to the educated youth of these areas.
Incidentally, Mufti did not show up for the dinner meet called by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday night. Dr Singh and Azad had dinner. The two were together for over an hour.
