Two power centers are a recipe for disaster, says JK Chief Minister Omar Abdullah – Times of India

NEW DELHI: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has bluntly mentioned this dual governance model in the Union Territory – where he shares power with the lieutenant governor – a “recipe for disaster” as he urged the Center to fulfill its promise and restore statehood to the region as soon as possible. In his first sit-down interview since taking office in October, Abdullah expressed cautious optimism about the Centre’s commitment to restoring JK’s statehood, citing repeated promises made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah during election campaigns done.
The Prime Minister’s candid remarks underline the complex political landscape in Jammu and Kashmir, and the difficulties in pushing for a more defined and unified administrative leadership on the grounds of statehood.
Abdullah drew parallels to corporate leadership and challenged anyone to name a successful company with multiple leaders.
“Let me say this: having two centers of power anywhere is a recipe for disaster… No organization works well when there are multiple centers of power… there’s a reason why our sports team has one captain. You got it not.” have two captains.
“Similarly, you do not have two Prime Ministers or two centers of power in the government of India. And most of India has one elected prime minister who with his cabinet has the power to make decisions,” he told PTI editors at its headquarters.
“A system with dual centers of power will never work,” he said, citing the example of Delhi, where the government shares power with the lieutenant governor, which has been a bitter and difficult experience.
Abdullah noted that Delhi is ultimately a small city-state, while Jammu and Kashmir is a large and strategic region bordering China and Pakistan, making the need for a unified command much greater.
‘So no. In the two months that I have been Chief Minister, I have not come across a single example of JK taking advantage of being a Union Territory. Not one. There is no example of governance or development that has done that. coming to JK because it is a Union Territory,” he said.
Jammu-Kashmir was reorganized into a Union Territory under an Act of Parliament in August 2019 following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution, which had given the erstwhile state special powers and status.
The administration of the Union Territory was transferred to the Lieutenant Governor. A year ago, on December 11, 2023, the Supreme Court directed the Election Commission to hold assembly elections by September and asked the Center to restore statehood at the earliest without setting a deadline.
Parliamentary elections were held in September, which Abdullah’s National Conference party won, winning 41 of the 90 seats that went to the polls. Its ally, the Congress Party, won six seats. The BJP won 28 seats.
Abdullah said elections in Jammu and Kashmir could only be held due to the intervention of the Supreme Court, but “unfortunately, and this is a matter of great regret for us, the Supreme Court on the issue of statehood was more vague than I would have done . she liked.”
Restoration of the state “as quickly as possible is good, but it is not that good. If they had said that Assembly elections would take place as soon as possible, I would not be sitting here with you today. Because as soon as possible that might not have happened all around.”
Abdullah acknowledged that he had a backup plan in case Jammu and Kashmir remains a hybrid state, saying, “It would be foolish not to have a backup in mind in case that doesn’t happen.”
“Obviously there is a time frame in mind too. But please allow me to keep that to myself for now simply because I would like to believe that the promises made to the people of JK will be kept,” he said he. .
“The fact is that people came to vote, they came for a reason,” indicating that it was the promise of a state from a BJP-ruled Center that attracted the voters.
“During the campaign, when you repeatedly told people that statehood will be restored to JK, you did not say that statehood will be restored if the BJP forms a government or that statehood will be restored if there is a chief minister from Jammu .
‘There were no ifs and buts. You said JK will come back as a full state. That’s it. So that has to happen now.’
Abdullah said in no uncertain terms that the final decision on the restoration of the state should be made by only two people: the prime minister and the interior minister.
“Ultimately it is the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary who have to sit down and decide whether this is what needs to happen and this is when it needs to happen. Either that, or it has to happen.” mandate,” he said while responding to a question that the National Conference could use allies of the NDA to influence the government for the restoration of the state.
Describing the current government structure as a “work in progress” and a “learning experience,” Abdullah acknowledged the challenging transition for both elected representatives and bureaucratic officials.
He emphasized that while Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is responsible for police, security and law and order, other administrative responsibilities rest with the elected government.
“We are in the process of re-examining corporate rules to provide clarity on administrative boundaries,” Abdullah said, highlighting ongoing efforts to streamline governance mechanisms.