Jammu, Mar 2 (PTI) A day ahead of the first budget session of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly in seven years, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Sunday chaired a joint meeting of coalition parties here to discuss smooth functioning of the house.

The meeting, attended by Congress legislative party leader G A Mir and CPI(M) MLA M Y Tarigami, took place shortly after Abdullah presided over a separate legislature party meeting of the National Conference at his official residence here.

The Congress legislature party also met separately at Residency Road party headquarters before Mir joined the meeting convened by Abdullah.

"It is a tradition for both the ruling and the opposition parties to convene their legislature party meetings before the start of the assembly session to discuss the issues needed to be raised in the house," Mir told reporters at the party headquarters after the meeting.

The Congress leader said he is joining the joint legislature party meeting of the ruling coalition.

"Only four-and-a-half months have passed since the formation of the (NC-led) government but many people are questioning the government that it has not done this or that. They should remember that when the government was formed (on October 16), the budget had already been decided and it was also a big hurdle in the way," he said.

Mir hoped that the budget being presented by the government will address the popular public issues and will also lay the foundation for the implementation of the manifesto during the financial year 2025-26.

He said the government has already passed a resolution for restoration of statehood in the last session held in Srinagar and so the delay is from the BJP-led central government which has made repeated promises to the people of J&K on the subject.

"When the prime minister chaired the All Party Meeting of J&K leaders (in June 2021), we were all witness to his statement that reorganization will be followed by delimitation, elections and then restoration of statehood. The centre should have fulfilled its promise after the formation of the popular government in J&K but the delay is on their side," he said.

Mir said the Congress has been repeatedly saying that restoration of statehood was the biggest issue during last year’s assembly elections and “INDIA alliance is committed to it. Cong being the largest party in the INDIA bloc has already made it clear in their working committee meeting and during the election campaigns.” Asked about PDP planning to introduce bills to push for the prohibition of alcohol and seek regularization of property rights of residents on public land, he said it is up to the house to decide on such bills.

"It is also a matter of thought that when they were in power with BJP why they did not introduce such bills. The government is more concerned about the issues raised in the election manifesto for which the people voted for it," he said. PTI TAS HIG

Restoration of statehood remains central, with coalition urging the centre to honour prior commitments before legislative action. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah chaired a coalition meeting before the budget session to ensure smooth Assembly functioning and to align on issues to be raised; the coalition expects the budget to address public concerns and fund manifesto implementation. Congress leader G A Mir highlighted that the Assembly had already passed a resolution for restoration of statehood and blamed the centre for delays linked to reorganisation, delimitation and elections. Proposed bills on prohibition and property regularisation were described as matters for the house to decide.