National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah took the oath of office as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, becoming the first head of government in the region after the abrogation of Article 370. The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar at 11:30 am. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath to Abdullah and his chosen ministers.
This significant event comes after the NC-Congress alliance won the first Assembly elections held in Jammu and Kashmir since its reorganization as a Union Territory in 2019. The NC secured a dominant victory with 42 out of 90 seats, while Congress won six seats. Together, the coalition holds a clear majority in the 95-member Assembly, further supported by five Independent MLAs and a lone Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) legislator.
Leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, and General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, arrived in Srinagar to attend the oath-taking ceremony. However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, also a member of the INDIA alliance, was unable to attend due to a ‘red alert’ issued by the Indian Meteorological Department for the northeast monsoon.
This marks Omar Abdullah’s second term as Chief Minister, following his first tenure from 2009 to 2014 when Jammu and Kashmir was a full-fledged state, also under an NC-Congress coalition government.
Abdullah’s return to power comes at a critical juncture, with significant expectations surrounding his administration, particularly in restoring statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. The ceremony also sets the stage for a new era in the Union Territory’s governance.