Srinagar, Oct 18: Former chief minister Farooq Abdullah today said he did not continue as the care-taker chief minister as the constitution did not allow him to function beyond midnight last night. "The constitution did not allow me to do so. Why should I have continued when the previous assembly stood dissolved," Abdullah told a news agency in his first reaction after deciding not to continue as the caretaker chief minister, resulting in the imposition of governor's rule in the state.

To a question that everyone was blaming him for forcing the governor's rule, Abdullah said "there is nothing new in blaming me. I have received boots always. Even now, when I have acted in the letter and spirit of the constitution, I am held responsible." "Why should I be held responsible for the crisis? Why not Congress and PDP which failed to come up with any alliance government even seven days after the results were declared," Abdullah asked.

Abdullah said he had lost the moral authority to continue as caretaker chief minister after the assembly which chose him as chief minister stood dissolved.


He said the decision was taken unanimously by the political committee of the national conference after holding consultations with legal experts. Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had telephoned Abdullah yesterday and asked him to continue in office even after October 17 to avoid any constitutional crisis.

Bureau Report