I May Be Shifted, Says J&K Governor After Sajjad Lone Controversy

Satya Pal Malik had admitted that following Delhi’s instructions would mean installing the BJP-backed leader as CM.

Jammu and Kashmir Governor Satya Pal Malik hinted on Wednesday, 28 November, that he may be shifted out of the state following his remarks that New Delhi wanted to see Peoples Conference leader Sajjad Lone as chief minister.

Speaking at a function marking the death anniversary of senior Congress leader Girdhari Lal Dogra in Jammu, Malik said: "As long as I am here, I'm here. It is not in my hands. But the threat of transfer is there.” He added:

“I don’t know when I will be transferred from here. I will not lose my job, but as long as I am here, I assure the people that whenever you call me, I will come.”

Sajjad Lone Controversy

Malik publicly admitted on 24 November in Gwalior that had he looked for directions from Delhi on how to tackle the political crisis in Jammu and Kashmir, he would have had to install BJP-backed Sajjad Lone as the chief minister.

But he did not want to do that, Malik said. Following his remarks, Raj Bhawan issued a statement saying that while dissolving the Assembly, the governor took an objective and impartial decision.

No Interference From Delhi: Rajnath

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday that there had been “no interference from Delhi” in Jammu and Kashmir and no intructions were given to Governor Satya Pal Malik, The Hindu reported.

“It was left to the Governor to take the decision depending on the situation (unke vivek par faisla chhod diya gaya tha).”

Rajnath Singh to The Hindu.

"There was no pressure or any kind of intervention from the Centre in the entire matter and some news channels are misinterpreting the Governor's statement and putting things out of context to convey that there was pressure from the central government," the statement said.

Amid reports that the PDP, National Conference and the Congress were close to forming an alliance to stake claim to power in the state, Malik dissolved the Assembly on 21 November.

(With inputs from IANS and The Hindu.)