J

Srinagar, Jul 2 (UNI) Alleging that Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has started horse-trading to win the vote of confidence on July seven, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said any effort of trampling the constitutional norms in the state would erode people's faith in the democratic institutions.

A spokesman of the PDP in a statement issued here this afternoon said against all the numerical odds, the Chief Minister is harping on having more than adequate numbers to prove his majority on the floor of the House.

''While the State's major political parties-- PDP, National Conference, Panthers Party and BJP-- have already made it clear that they are not going to support the Chief Minister during the vote of confidence, the only way Mr Azad could cobble up the numbers is through foul-play and horse-trading,'' he said.

The PDP recently withdrew from the government on the issue of diverting forest land to Shri Amarnth Shrine Board (SASB).

He alleged that Mr Azad is already in the process of poaching on the legislators of various political parties to arrange enough numbers for himself.

''The Chief Minister was allegedly utilizing all undemocratic means, overtly and covertly, to manage numbers and there are reports that besides various lucrative offers, even moneybags are being presented to legislators to shift their loyalties,'' the spokesman said and warned that in the presence of strict anti-defection law in vogue in the State, such unconstitutional tactics are going to be a severe blow to the hard-earned democratic institutions and processes in the State.

''The State has already been brought at the verge of dangerous regional and communal polarization and any move to idle with the democratic institutions could further vitiate the atmosphere,'' he said.

Cautioning Mr Azad against resorting to any undemocratic adventurism to save his chair, the spokesman said given the sensitivities and fragility of Jammu and Kashmir's politics dynamics, such a misadventure could have unimaginable disastrous consequences for not only the State, but the whole country.

The spokesman said it was also the responsibility of the country's leadership and Governor N N Vohra to see to it that no person or party is allowed to resort to any kind of foul play in the number game.

UNI BAS AKJ AS1735