Srinagar, December 29 2008: National Conference president Omar Abdullah is set to meet Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday night to discuss the formation of a new Government in Jammu and Kashmir.

Earlier, clearing all confusion, National Conference patron Farooq Abdullah on Monday said that he would recommend to his party that his son Omar Abdullah should be the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, PTI reported.

"The time has now come.

I will recommend to the party that it should consider Omar Abdullah for the chief minister's post.

I thought over the issue during the night," he said with Omar by his side.

Now the State should have a younger Chief Minister because there are a lot of things to do, the 72-year-old leader said.

His remarks assume significance in the wake of his Statement on Sunday night that he would like to be the Chief Minister which created confusion.

38-year-old Omar, on his part, said he will be guided by his father.

Sources say the Congress, which was in coalition with PDP before separating on a bitter note, does appear inclined to support NC.

However, it may be required to handle those in the state unit who would like to see whether the Abdullahs could be pushed to support a Congressman as Chief Minister as the price for keeping their chief rival, the PDP, at bay.

Failing that, the state unit may ask the central leadership to insist on the post of the deputy chief minister.

The terms of trade, however, are yet to be finalised.

NC emerged as the single largest party in the J&K polls overtaking the separatist-backed PDP in an election that saw a strong turnout of 60.5% in the face of a Pakistan-sponsored call for boycott, strengthening the credibility of India's democratic process.

NC, with 28, and Congress with 17 will have the majority in the 87-strong House.

NC survived a huge drop in vote share in both Valley and Jammu to finish ahead of PDP which backed by proxy support from the separatists and the loyalty of its strongholds in southern part of the Valley won 21 seats.

Just like its prospective partner, Congress saw a major erosion in its vote share.

The BJP, in contrast, pulled off a vastly improved performance, taking its tally from one to 11 � its best-ever show.

The party vote share recorded a jump of over 10%, thanks to the polarisation in the Jammu region over the Amarnath land controversy.

But while the BJP will remain consigned to the sidelines, Congress, the main victim of the saffron surge in Jammu, has emerged as kingmaker.

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