Thaindian News

Jammu, July 29 (IANS) The top brass of Jammu and Kashmir’s ruling National Conference (NC) and Congress says there are no differences but resentment simmers under the surface. Over the last week, Congress legislators in three districts have stayed away from meetings because they feel the NC is neglecting them.

Congress members of the assembly and the legislative council from Ramban, Kishtwar and Doda say they boycotted the district development board meetings because the NC-led government had neglected their area and discriminated against them in the allocation of funds.

“We want development of the area, not just lengthy speeches by ministers and officials, We want real work on the ground and the government is not doing that,” Doda MLA Abdul Majeed Wani told IANS over the phone.

According to a section of the Congress, the government is deliberately neglecting the mountainous region from Banihal to Kishtwar because it is represented by the Congress — five of six MLAs of these districts are from the Congress.

Countered NC leader Khaleed Najeeb Siuharwardy, a member of the legislative council from Doda: “Those boycotting the district development boards are doing a disservice to the people and the area.”

But the senior leadership of the two parties insists nothing is wrong. NC president Farooq Abdullah, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and state Congress chief Saif-ud-Din Soz have said the two parties are working together smoothly.

“It happens even in single party governments. There are some people who have some grouse or the other. Too much should not be read into it,” a senior Congress leader told IANS.

“Show me any coalition government that is not having problems,” he added.