Srinagar, Nov 4 (IANS): Senior National Conference (NC) leader and seven-time MLA Abdul Rahim Rather was on Monday elected as the speaker of J&K Assembly, while PDP MLA Waheed ur Rehman Parra introduced a resolution opposing the abrogation of Article 370.

Pro-tem Speaker Mubarak Gul of the NC announced that Abdul Rahim Rather has been unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Assembly.

Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) MLA from Pulwama constituency of the Valley, Waheed ur Rehman Parra introduced a resolution in the Assembly opposing the abrogation Article 370.

NC spokesman and MLA, Tanvir Sadiq had already said that the NC will bring in a resolution for the restoration of Article 370 in the current session of the J&K Assembly.

Interestingly, while the Congress is committed to supporting the restoration of statehood to J&K, its MLAs are unlikely to support the Article 370 restoration resolution.

NC had made the restoration of statehood and Article 370 its main electoral plank. Although the passing of a resolution for restoration of Article 370 by the J&K Assembly would have no bearing on the supremacy of the Indian Parliament on this issue, the NC strategy is basically meant to mount pressure on the Centre on the one hand and prove to the voters on the other hand that the party stands by its electoral promises.

The five-day long session of J&K legislative Assembly began on Monday with Lt Governor Manoj Sinha’s address.

A consensus decision was taken by the NC to field senior party leader and MLA from Chrar-e-Sharief constituency of Budgam district, Abdul Rahim Rather for the Speaker’s post.

The BJP has already announced Sunil Sharma, MLA from Padder-Nagseni constituency of Kishtwar, as Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly and Narinder Singh as the party candidate for the Deputy Speaker’s post.

NC has 42, BJP 28 (One seat has fallen vacant because of BJP MLA, Devender Singh Rana’s death), Congress 6, PDP 3, CPI (M), 1, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) 1, Peoples Conference (PC) 1 and independents 7.