'Will approach SC against Delimitation Commission recommendations'

New Delhi: National Conference president and former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Farooq Abdullah said on Friday that his party is preparing to approach the Supreme Court against the Delimitation Commission's recommendations as it believes that the very basis of the

exercise is "illegal". The veteran politician, who has been chief minister of the erstwhile state three times as well as union minister, also said the time has come for the opposition parties to come together and fight the forces who are bent on destroying the secular fabric of the country.

Giving a detailed account of his interactions during the Delimitation Commission meeting earlier this week, Abdullah told the news agency that the very first point raised "by us at the meeting was that the commission was illegal" as the party's petition challenging the reorganisation of Jammu and Kashmir was pending in the Supreme Court. However, commission chairperson Justice (retd.) Ranjana Desai countered the National Conference's argument by saying that as far as the panel was concerned she had been given authority by the government and, therefore, she had done this job. "But whatever the Supreme Court finally says, it will be binding on them (Commission) also. So that clears the position. Then they explained other parameters also.... We are now preparing to go to the Supreme Court,"

he said.