Thursday, May 19 2005 07:55 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: A day after Congress chief Sonia Gandhi's remarks that the party was yet to take a decision on change of guard in Jammu and Kashmir, senior Congress leader and deputy Chief Minister Mangat Ram Sharma yesterday (May 18, 2005) said the State unit would abide by the decision of the High Command.

The decision regarding assumption of Chief Ministership by Congress lay exclusively with the party High Command, whose decision would be final, Sharma told reporters in New Delhi.

"In Congress, decisions are taken by the High Command on all important issues after holding detailed consultations with State leaders," he said.

Sonia, interacting with journalists in New Delhi on Tuesday (May 17, 2005), said, "We have not yet taken any view" on the change of guard in the State.

"Those giving statements and even floating names for Chief Ministership are not doing justice to this sensitive State," she had said.

State Congress senior vice-president Abdul Gani Vakil told a public meeting in Baramulla that Union Urban Development Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad would be the next Chief Minister.

According to power-sharing accord between Congress and People's Democratic Party (PDP) in the State, the former is supposed to take over the mantle of Chief Ministership after completion of three years in office by Mufti Mohammad Sayeed.