Omar Abdullah Takes Oath as J&K Chief Minister; Congress Chooses to Stay Out of Government

Srinagar: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah has been sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, marking the first government for the Union Territory since it lost its special status. Alongside Mr. Abdullah, five other National Conference lawmakers—Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma—also took their oaths. The ceremony was led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre in Srinagar.

The Congress, which had formed an alliance with Mr. Abdullah’s party but performed poorly in the elections, decided not to join the government. Sources revealed that the Congress was offered one ministerial position but declined, choosing instead to provide outside support.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by key leaders of the INDIA alliance, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav, DMK’s Kanimozhi, NCP’s Supriya Sule, CPI’s D Raja, and AAP’s Sanjay Singh. Former Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, leader of the Peoples Democratic Party, was also present.

Omar Abdullah, the first elected leader of Jammu and Kashmir in 10 years, expressed hope that the Union Territory status would be temporary and that statehood would be restored soon. "We look forward to working with the Government of India to address the people’s issues, and restoring statehood would be a good first step," Mr. Abdullah told ANI after offering prayers at the Hazratbal shrine.

The National Conference secured a landslide victory in the recent elections, winning 42 out of 90 seats. The party has the support of four Independents, one AAP legislator, and the Congress, which won just six seats—down from 12 in the 2014 elections.

Omar Abdullah made a political comeback after his defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, winning the Budgam and Ganderbal seats to secure his place in the assembly.