Dineshwar Sharma acting as 'super CM': Omar

Speaking in the Assembly, the opposition National Conference leader demanded that the government give a clarification on Sharma's mandate.

"What is the mission of the special representative? If he works like a super chief minister, as we hear, by meeting delegations to look into the problems with regard to power, water, non-availability of doctors at hospital, unemployment issues. (But) It is your job," Omar said during the motion of thanks on governor's address.

"You (Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti and Sharma) are treading on parallel tracks.... It is your responsibility and not Sharma's to set right electricity transformers, to improve water supply or giving job orders to unemployed youth. "If he is a special representative, as was mentioned by the governor in his speech, his responsibility should be different," the former chief minister said.

Apparently referring to separatist leaders, Omar said Sharma should meet "such people, who will facilitate resolution of the big issues. The minor issues could be solved by you as well". He said the appointment of Sharma by the Centre came several months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his Independence Day speech from Red Fort, said that bullets or abuses will not resolve the Kashmir issue and that it can be addressed by embracing every Kashmiri.

"After the prime minister's speech, we were hopeful of a new beginning and we waited and waited. Then, suddenly, an announcement was made about the nomination of Sharma but soon after confusion took over," he said. Omar asked the government to clarify if Sharma was an interlocutor or a special representative or a spokesperson as different voices were coming from the governments at the centre and in the state on the issue.