Omar Abdullah, the leader of the National Conference (NC), is scheduled to take the oath of office as the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on October 16. The announcement follows an invitation from Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, which Abdullah shared on social media platform X.
In the letter, Sinha stated, “I have received a letter dated October 11, 2024, from Dr. Farooq Abdullah, President of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, wherein it has been informed that you have been unanimously elected as Leader of the Legislature Party.” He added, “I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the Government of Jammu and Kashmir.”
The oath-taking ceremony will be held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar at 11:30 a.m. on October 16. In his letter, Sinha expressed his best wishes for a “highly productive tenure” for Abdullah and his government.
This significant political development comes just a day after the Indian government revoked President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir, a status that had been in effect for nearly six years. This change paves the way for the formation of a new government in the Union Territory, which has been in limbo since the abrogation of Article 370.
Omar Abdullah’s election as leader of the NC legislature party was confirmed by various political allies, including Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra and leaders from other parties like the CPI(M) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). Together, the NC and Congress formed a coalition that secured a total of 48 seats in the recent Jammu and Kashmir elections, with the NC winning 42 and Congress claiming six.
This will mark Abdullah’s second term as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, and he expressed gratitude for the support he received from various political figures and parties.
Sources By Agencies