Saturday, September 2 2006 13:47 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Muzaffar Hussain Baig today (Sept 2, 2006)decided to resign from his post two days after his party PDP demanded he be stripped of the post along with Finance and Planning portfolios while it removed him as leader of Legislature group.

Baig's announcement of his resignation at a press conference here may pave the way for appointment of a new Deputy Chief Minister, for which post the PDP has already recommended Agriculture Minister Abdul Aziz Zargar.

Baig said he was not party to the Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad's decision to retain him as Deputy CM with the two portfolios he held despite his party's decision to the contrary.

"I was not party to the decision. I did not know about it. I was surprised when I came to know about his chief minister's decision. I thought I would request the CM to change his decision and not allow any controversy to develop between PDP and Congress," he said.