Kashmir government falls; Azad resigns

{image-azad pavam_07072008.jpg news.oneindia.in}Srinagar, Jul 7: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday, July 7 resigned from his post after withdrawing the motion of confidence in the Assembly.

Immediately after withdrawing the confidence motion in the Legislative Assembly, Mr Azad went to his residence, official sources said. He later went to the Raj Bhavan and submitted his resignation to Governor N N Vohra.The crisis in the Congress-led government began on June 28 when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pulled out from the ministry on the issue of diverting 800 kanals of land to the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board (SASB).

However, Mr Azad claimed that he still enjoyed the support of a majority of the members in the House and wrote to Mr Vohra, requesting that he be allowed to prove his majority in the House.

Mr Vohra asked Mr Azad to prove his majority by July 7.

On Mr Azad's request, the Governor summoned a one-day session to allow him to prove his majority.

The Chief Minister on July 7, moved a motion in the assembly ''that this House express its confidence in the council of ministers''.

However, later he withdrew the motion and announced that he was going to the Raj Bhavan to tender his resignation.

UNI