The Union Territory of J&K got its first chief minister and elected government led by National Conference’s Omar Abdullah after 10 years. He was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu & Kashmir at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Center (SKICC) today.
Five other ministers, Surinder Choudhary, Javed Rana, Javed Ahmed Dar, Sakina Itoo, and Satish Sharma, also took oaths. Choudhary is the deputy chief minister of J&K. Itoo, who won from DH Pora in South Kashmir’s Kulgam district, is the only woman minister. She had secured over 30,000 votes against PDP’s Gulzar Ahmed Dar.
The Congress has provided support to Omar Abdullah’s government but has stayed out of J&K’s Council of Ministers. Tariq Karra, JKPCC leader, said Congress will not join the council of ministers as J&K’s statehood has not been restored. It should be noted that J&K has a UT government, and can have only nine ministers.
Also Read: Maharashtra And Jharkhand Assembly Elections In November: ECI
J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Puts People First
The newly sworn CM said the first task of his government will be to become the voice of the people. Abdullah highlighted that Jammu & Kashmir will not be a UT for long. It will regain full statehood. He said the government has the people’s mandate to work together to resolve their problems.
Former J&K CM Mehbooba Mufti congratulated Abdullah and his government. She said the people of J&K suffered a lot after 2019 and hopes the government will treat their wounds. The PDP boss hopes the new government will pass a resolution to condemn the August 5, 2019 – abrogation of Article 370.
Mufti also urged the Omar Abdullah-led government to resolve unemployment, drug addiction, electricity outages, other issues that inflict the people of J&K.
