Farooq denies engineering crisis in J

New Delhi, Sep 3 (UNI) Former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah today dismissed charges that he had ''engineered'' a crisis within the ruling-coalition in the state, saying that it is an internal matter between alliance partners --the Congress and the PDP.

''I have not engineered any such thing or worked for it. If the PDP decided to pull out Mr Muzaffar Hassan Baigh from the Government it was the party's decision. The crisis was started by them,'' Mr Abdullah said.

He said, ''the PDP must have felt that Mr Baigh was far more closer to Chief minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, a Congressman, than the party. It must have felt he was not doing the job for them''.

Mr Abdullah said he had not met Congress President Sonia Gandhi to express his willingnes to extend support to crisis-riddled state government. ''I did not meet or ring Ms Gandhi .... I do not know why people think I went up to Ms Gandhi's door to talk about the Jammu and Kashmir crisis.'' The National Conference patron rejected charges that he wanted to form an alliance with the Congress to return to power and said it is all speculation.

''I am not power hungry.... We could have forme an alliance with the Congress in 2002 when we lost the elections and won only 29 seats,'' Mr Abdullah said in an interview to the 'Times Now'. .

However, he said the if stability in the insurgencey-torn state was endangered, the National Conference ''could not just watch it happen''.

''If the crisis goes so far to destabilise the state then the National Conference will not just watch it (state) get destroyed. At that time the choice, obviously, for the Congress will be the National Conference,'' Mr Abdullah said.

He said Congress and the National Conference had been coalition partners in the past and the alliance could also be an option in the present situation.

''The Congress may be thinking about it at the moment,'' he added.

Insurgency-torn Jammu and Kashmir plunged into political crisis after Peoples Democratic party (PDP) on Augist 31 recalled deputy chief Muzaffar Hussain Baigh from the state cabinet and also removed him as the legislature party leader.

Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad is yet to take a decision on the fate of his deputy.

The PDP high command wants Mr Baigh to be removed from the important portfolios of Finance, Planning, Law and Parliamentary Affairs.

The PDP had sent a letter to Mr Azad in this regard.

The PDP leadership had decided to ''cut down to size'' Mr Baigh in the wake of his recent utterances, for lavishing praises on Mr Azad and describing him as the ''towering leader'' of Jammu and Kashmir, and also for ''ignoring'' the party agenda.

The party had decided to give all portfolios held by Mr Baigh to senior leader Tariq Hamid Karra. It was decided that Mr Baigh would be given Tourism and Housing portfolios only.

UNI NR MSJ RS1653