40 years ago November 3, 1986: Farooq to lead coalition

On November 3, 1986, Farooq Abdullah, leader of the National Conference, will form a coalition government in Jammu and Kashmir, according to a recent statement. The coalition will consist of nine or ten members and has received the seal of approval from the Central Parliamentary Board, chaired by Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. A resolution passed by the board expressed hope that the coalition would unite the "secular and democratic forces" in the border state and combat "anti-national and fundamentalist forces."

The resolution also paid tribute to the National Conference's active role in the state's national and freedom movement. However, the Sikh community has taken issue with the coalition. Five Sikh head priests have appealed to the Sikh masses not to support the coalition, citing the exclusion of Surjit Singh Barnala, the Chief Minister, and Balwant Singh, the Finance Minister, from the Sikh panth for their "anti-panthic" activities during a recent Sarbat Khalsa meeting.