Srinagar, Sept 5: A week after the Chief Minster, Omar Abdullah served a legal notice to two senior Peoples Democratic Party leaders, seeking public apology within a week’s time for allegations of corruption leveled against him, the leaders are yet to respond even as Omar is readying to make the next move.
 On August 28, Omar, though his lawyer, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, had served notice to PDP leaders, Nizam-ud-Din Bhat and Nayeem Akhtar after the duo made starling revelations that Omar had received a “kickback” of Rs 500 crores in the Rattle Power Project in Jammu and was constructing a private residence at the cost of Rs 20 crores at Gupkar here—the charges vehemently refuted by Omar.
 At a press conference on August 25, Bhat had also alleged that the Chief Minister had shifted the priceless antiques from the state’s Toshkhana to his private residence and also withdrawn Rs 26 crores from the Chief Minister’s Secret Fun, one time. Immediately after the press conference, senior NC leader and Finance Minister, Abdur Rahim Rather, termed the allegations against Omar as “baseless.”
 While the PDP is yet to tender apology as desired by the Chief Minister, the latter is readying to make the next move. “The PDP leaders have not apologized. Now we will do whatever needs be done,” Omar told Greater Kashmir, when asked about the status of the case.
 Asked what would be his next move, he said, “My lawyers will do whatever requires to be done. We are ready for that.”
 Sources said Omar was likely to file a defamation suit against of Rs 10 crores in a court against the PDP leaders. He had already made it clear that if the leaders don’t apologize, he would file the defamation suit against them.
 For the past one week, the PDP has maintained complete silence over the issue. Sources said the party wants the CM to make the next move and then react.
 While no PDP leader agreed to talk about the issue, sources said the party is of the view that if the legal battle is to be fought over the issue, it won’t be found wanting.
 Sources said the PDP is reluctant to rake up the corruption issue at this juncture when the Valley is reeling under the crisis. “The party would continue to focus on its main political agenda which includes the resolution of Kashmir dispute,” they said.
 Pertinently, the allegations against the Chief Minister were made the day when the state government issued an advertisement in local dailies, giving details of the travel and dearness allowances drawn by the PDP MLAs against the “meetings” they had held during the unrest in Kashmir.

Lastupdate on : Sun, 5 Sep 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sun, 5 Sep 2010 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Mon, 6 Sep 2010 00:00:00 IST