Centre wanted me to appoint Sajad Lone as CM: J&K Governor Satya Pal Malik

Srinagar, Nov 27: Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik on Tuesday triggered a fresh controversy when he said the Modi government wanted him to instal Sajad Lone as the state's chief minister, right before he dissolved the assembly last week.

"Had I looked at Delhi, I would have had to invite Sajad Lone to form government. But I did not want to go down in the history as a dishonest man. I don't bother about the abuses now," said Satya Pal Malik.

Later, he took an u-turn, while speaking to a news channel and said that there was no political pressure or interference from the Centre.

Malik's admission came days after he dissolved the J&K Assembly after Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) leader Mehbooba Mufti staked claim to form a government along with the support of her arch-rival Omar Abdullah's National Conference (NC) and the Congress.

A huge political slugfest broke out in the state of Jammu and Kashmir on November 21 after the Governor, Satya Pal Malik decided to dissolve the assembly, quashing hopes of the newly-formed alliance of PDP, NC and Congress from forming the government.

Launching a scathing attack on the Governor, former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah had called Malik a "slave of the Centre".

Mehbooba has ruled out taking the legal route against the Governor's decision, saying she would go to the "people's court".