Omar Abdullah sworn in as J&K gets its first Chief Minister after 6 years

PTC News Desk: In a significant political development, Omar Abdullah, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. This marks a pivotal moment for the Union Territory, which has not had a functioning government for six years.

The Jammu CM oath-taking ceremony took place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, with the oath administered by Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha.

Joining Abdullah at the ceremony were five other leaders who took their oaths as Cabinet Ministers. Notably, Independent MLA Surinder Singh Choudhary, who made headlines by defeating J&K BJP chief Ravinder Raina from Nowshera in the Assembly elections, has been appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister, ensuring representation for the Jammu region in the new government.

The ceremony saw the presence of various opposition leaders, including prominent Congress figures like Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, as well as Akhilesh Yadav, the chief of the Samajwadi Party.

The five MLAs who took their oaths alongside Omar Abdullah include:

1. Satish Sharma (Independent)
2. Sakina Itoo
3. Javid Dar
4. Surinder Chowdhury
5. Javid Rana (all from the National Conference)
   

This marks Omar Abdullah's second term as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, making him the first to hold this office following the revocation of Article 370 in 2019, which transitioned Jammu and Kashmir from statehood to a Union Territory.

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Omar Abdullah previously served as Chief Minister from 2009 to 2014, during a period when the National Conference was in alliance with the Congress party in Jammu and Kashmir. However, in this new political landscape, the Congress party has chosen not to join the Cabinet despite winning six seats in the recent Assembly elections, stating their demand for the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood as a reason for their absence.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra emphasised, "The Congress is not joining the ministry in the Jammu and Kashmir government at the moment. We have strongly demanded the restoration of statehood from the Centre. The Prime Minister has repeatedly promised this in public meetings, but statehood has yet to be restored."

Earlier in the day, Omar Abdullah addressed concerns regarding a potential rift between the National Conference and Congress. He clarified that the Congress party would not be part of the Cabinet for the time being and indicated that he would not fill all nine ministerial vacancies, as discussions were ongoing about the nature of their collaboration. "I will not be filling all nine vacancies in the council of ministers. Some vacancies will be kept open as we are in talks with Congress," he stated.

In the recent September-October Assembly elections, the National Conference-Congress alliance achieved a significant victory, winning a total of 48 out of 90 Assembly seats. The National Conference emerged as the single largest party, securing 42 seats, while Congress captured six.

Omar Abdullah’s oath as Jammu CM signifies not only a new beginning for governance in Jammu and Kashmir but also a critical juncture in the political dynamics of the region. His leadership is anticipated to navigate the complexities of local governance while addressing the pressing demands for statehood and political representation. As the newly sworn-in Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah's vision for Jammu and Kashmir will be closely watched in the coming months.

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