J&K Governor asks Azad to prove majority by July 7

In a communication to Governor N N Vohra, the Chief Minister had claimed he continued to enjoy majority support in the House and was ready to prove it any time, an official spokesman said on Monday.

Junior coalition partner PDP, having 18 members in the 87-seat House, withdrew support to the Congress-led Government on Saturday protesting the transfer of forest land to the Amarnath Shrine Board.

The Congress, which has 21 members, enjoys the support of two CPM MLAs and eight Independents.

Azad, who is hopeful of his Government completing its full term till November two, has claimed support of more than the required number of MLAs in the state assembly.

Opposition National Conference with 24 MLAs has ruled out extending support to the Government while the four-member National Panthers Party has been at loggerheads with the Azad dispensation after the Chief Minister did not induct any of its MLAs in his ministry.

With the BJP and the Jammu Mukti Morcha, both having one MLA each, unlikely to support Azad in case of a floor test, a split in either the National Conference or the PDP alone could save the Government.