• Source:JND
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Omar Abdullah Oath Ceremony: Jammu Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday took oath as the first chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir - a Union Territory, after his party emerged victorious in the recently concluded Assembly elections in the Union Territory. Jammu Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha administered oath to Omar Abdullah at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, where INDIA Bloc leaders including LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav, PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, AAP RS MP Sanjay Singh and CPI leader D Raja marked their presence.

Omar Abdullah took oath with five ministers, including senior NC leader Surinder Kumar Choudhary, who took oath as the deputy chief minister of the Union Territory. NC MLA from Mendhar Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar from Rafiabad, and Sakina Itoo from DH Pora also took the oath. Independent MLA from Chhamb Assembly seat Satish Sharma was given a place in the Omar Abdullah-led cabinet.

This is the second time Omar Abdullah will lead the government in Jammu and Kashmir. His first term as chief minister was from 2009 to 2014 when Jammu and Kashmir was a full-fledged state. Abdullah was unanimously elected leader of the NC Legislature Party earlier this week. Omar Abdullah is also the third generation of the Abdullah family to occupy the office -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah.

Farooq Abdullah, His wife, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi

(Image Credits: Pallav Paliwal)

Congress Opts Out Of Government In Jammu Kashmir

Congress on Wednesday announced that it wiould not be a part of Omar Abdullah-led government in Kashmir. While media reports stated that Congress might have opted out of the government due to contention over cabinet berths, Jammu Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee in its statement said that they are "unhappy" as the statehood has not been restored to J&K, which Prime Minister Narendra Modi has promised on several occasions.

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"Congress Party is not joining the Ministry in Jammu and Kashmir government at the moment. Congress has strongly demanded the Centre to restore Statehood to J&K, and the Prime Minister has time and again in public meetings promised the same. But the Statehood has not been restored to J&K. We are unhappy therefore we are not joining the Ministry at the moment, JKPCC Chief added and said Congress Party shall continue to fight for the restoration of Statehood, JKPCC said in a statement.

Priyanka Gandhi with PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti

(Image Credits: Pallav Paliwal)

This will be the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of the former state into two Union Territories. Jammu and Kashmir has been under Presidential rule since 2018 after the BJP withdrew its support from the coalition government with Mehbooba Mufti-led PDP. Recently, the president's rule in Jammu and Kashmir was revoked, clearing the way for the formation of a new government following the recently concluded Assembly polls in the Union Territory.

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