Union Minister of State for external affairs Omar Abdullah will take over as National Conference president on June five.
''The party is arranging a convocation on June five,'' Abdullah told reporters.
Asked whether he would resign from the Vajpayee cabinet after assuming the post of party president, Abdullah said,
''It is too premature to say anything. Everything will be decided after I take over.''
Abdullah said that he would have to strike a balance between the two important posts, but feels that his present assignment in the external affairs ministry would allow him a little time for the state.
To a question whether he was the chief ministerial candidate of the party in the polls slated for later this year, he said, ''it is too premature to say anything. It will be decided only after my father Farooq Abdullah is given a suitable post in Delhi or he chooses to retire.''
Referring to the rejection by Hurriyat Conference the offer of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee for talks, he said ''the amalgam is a confused lot. First they wanted to speak to the Prime Minister and now they are not. God knows what they want.''
Bureau Report
