Srinagar, Oct 15:The stage is set for a historic moment in Jammu and Kashmir as Omar Abdullah prepares to be sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370. Following the National Conference’s victory in the recent assembly elections, Abdullah will take the oath of office at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on Wednesday.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath to Abdullah and his council of ministers at 11:30 am. Security measures have been heightened around the venue in anticipation of VVIP attendees.
The INDIA bloc constituents have been invited to the ceremony, though confirmations are still pending. “We will get to know about the VVIP attendees later this evening,” said NC Kashmir provincial president Nasir Aslam Wani.
This marks Abdullah’s second term as Chief Minister, with his first tenure from 2009 to 2014 under the previous state structure. The National Conference secured 42 out of 90 seats in the recent elections, forming a majority coalition with Congress (6 seats) and support from Independent and AAP MLAs.
Sinha on Monday invited the NC vice president to take oath as the J&K chief minister.
The invitation came a day after the Centre revoked President’s rule in the Union Territory.
In a letter to Abdullah, Sinha said, “I have received a letter of 11th October, 2024 from Dr. Farooq Abdullah, President, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, wherein it has been informed that you have been unanimously elected as Leader of the Legislature Party.”
He said he has also received a letter from Jammu and Kashmir Congress chief Tariq Hameed Karra, CPI(M) secretary G N Malik, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national secretary Pankaj Kumar Gupta and Independent MLAs-elect Payare Lal Sharma, Satish Sharma, Mohammad Akram, Rameshwar Singh and Muzafar Iqbal Khan extending their support to the NC.
“I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. As separately settled, I shall administer Oath of Office and Secrecy to you, and to those recommended by you for induction as members of your Council of Ministers, at SKICC, Srinagar on 16th October, 2024 at 11:30 a.m,” Sinha said in his letter.
The LG’s emissary had handed over the letter to Abdullah and informed him about the date and time of the swearing-in ceremony.
Abdullah was unanimously elected the leader of the NC Legislature Party on Thursday, setting the stage for his second term as chief minister. His first term, from 2009 to 2014 when Jammu and Kashmir was a full-fledged state, was also under an NC-Congress coalition government.
The NC won 42 out of the 90 seats which went to poll in the recent elections, while the Congress won six. Together, the two pre-poll allies hold a majority in the 95-member assembly — five members are to be nominated by the LG.
Their strength is further bolstered by the support from five Independent MLAs-elect and a lone AAP MLA-elect.