Omar Abdullah, Vice President of the National Conference (NC), is poised to become the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, following his unanimous election as the Leader of the NC Legislative Party.
Speaking to reporters after the Legislative Party meeting held at Nawai Subh, NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah announced, “We have unanimously chosen Omar Abdullah as the Chairman of the Legislative Party. He will lead us as we seek to form the Government, following further discussions with our alliance partners.”
Omar Abdullah expressed his gratitude to the NC legislators for their trust, saying, “I am deeply thankful to the NC legislators for reposing faith in me. Once we finalize talks with our alliance partners, including the Congress, we will approach Raj Bhavan to stake our claim to form the Government.”
The NC is currently in discussions with the Congress to secure their formal letter of support. Additionally, four Independent MLAs have extended their support to the NC, bringing the party’s total strength to 46 seats in the 90-member Assembly. “Talks with the Congress are ongoing, and they have been given a day to provide their letter of support. Once we receive it, I will proceed to Raj Bhavan to formally stake our claim for Government formation,” Omar added.
Omar Abdullah also emphasized the need for the new Government to work towards the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s Statehood. He called for a resolution to be passed in the new Assembly, followed by dialogue with the Union Government. “The first priority of the new Government should be to pass a resolution in favor of Statehood restoration and initiate discussions with the Prime Minister and the Home Minister,” he said.
In his comments, Omar stressed the importance of cooperation with the Lieutenant Governor for the betterment of the people. “We aim to work harmoniously with the LG. This is not about confrontation but about peaceful cooperation for the benefit of the people, while we continue to push for the restoration of Statehood.”
When asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s congratulatory message to the NC, Omar confirmed the call, expressing his thanks and stating that he looked forward to creating a cooperative environment to work in favor of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar also assured that the new Government would work inclusively, representing the interests of all citizens, irrespective of their voting preferences. “We will govern fairly for everyone, whether they voted for us, the BJP, or didn’t vote at all. All citizens, including those in Jammu who voted for the BJP, have the right to benefit from the new Government’s initiatives,” he said.
