In a historic ceremony, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on Wednesday. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the iconic Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the picturesque banks of Dal Lake.
Along with Omar Abdullah, Surinder Chowdhary was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of J&K while as Sakina Itoo, Satish Sharma, Javaid Dar, and Javaid Rana were also sworn in as the Cabinet Ministers.
Surinder Choudhary, a former legislator has defeated J&K BJP president Ravinder Raina on the Nowshera Assembly segment of Rajouri district of Jammu province.
This shows that Omar has focussed on the Jammu region by inducting Surinder Choudhary as the Deputy Chief Minister besides Javaid Rana and Satish Sharma who also belong to the Jammu region. From Kashmir, there will be two ministers—Sakina Itoo and Javaid Dar.
This diverse cabinet reflects Omar's commitment to representing both the Jammu and Kashmir regions.
A Decade-Long Wait for an Elected Government
Jammu and Kashmir has finally got its first elected government after a decade-long wait. The last Assembly polls were held in 2014. The revocation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, led to the formation of two Union Territories: J&K and Ladakh.
Top leaders of the INDIA bloc attend the oath ceremony
Top leaders from the Indian National Developmental Alliance (INDIA block) attended the ceremony to exhibit unity among the opposition. Those who attended the function included Congress leader and Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi, AICC Chief Malikarjun Kharge and party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra.
Samajwadi Party president and former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, AAP leader Sanjay Singh, MP, DMK MP Kanimozhi, CPI (M) leader Prakash Karat Lok Sabha Member Supriya Sule, and others attended the ceremony.
Many leaders from the INDIA Bloc also attended, responding to National Conference chief Dr. Farooq Abdullah's invitation.
National Conference emerges victorious
The recently held Assembly polls saw the National Conference emerge as the single largest party, securing 42 seats. The party gained support from:
- - Four independent MLAs from Jammu region
- - Communist Party (Marxist)'s one seat
Congress, which fought alongside the National Conference in the pre-poll alliance, extended support with its six seats, pushing the total tally to 53.
BJP dominates Jammu province
In Jammu, the BJP dominated with 29 seats but fell short of forming the government. In Kashmir, the party failed to win a single seat.
After receiving letters of support from independents and Congress, Omar Abdullah visited Raj Bhavan to stake his claim on government formation. President Droupadi Murmu issued a notification revoking the President's Rule, paving the way for the elected government.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha invited Omar to form the government on October 16.
The Chief Minister is scheduled to visit the Civil Secretariat for a guard of honor and to chair a meeting with administrative officers at 3 pm. He will also hold his first cabinet meeting tomorrow, where restoring J&K's statehood is expected to be discussed. This development marks a new chapter in Jammu and Kashmir's history, and the people eagerly await the new government's initiatives.
