- विज्ञापन -
Srinagar: Ahead of his swearing-in ceremony, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister-designate Omar Abdullah paid floral tributes at the Mazar-e-Anwar of “Sher-e-Kashmir” Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in Srinagar. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, Omar’s grandfather, was the first Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir post-India’s accession and served as Chief Minister. Omar’s father, Farooq Abdullah, has also held the Chief Ministerial position three times.
After offering prayers, Omar Abdullah stated the urgent need for his government to restore hope and ensure that the people of the region feel heard, expressing concern that they had not been listened to for the past five to six years. “It will be our responsibility to listen to them and act on it,” he affirmed. He noted his unique distinctions of being the last Chief Minister to serve a full six-year term and the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, emphasizing a desire to restore the region’s statehood.
The oath-taking ceremony will take place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, presided over by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. This marks the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the transition of the former state into two Union Territories.
Omar Abdullah, who served as Chief Minister from 2009 to 2015 and held a previous position as Union Minister of State for External Affairs, steps into a region that has been under Presidential rule since 2018 following the Bharatiya Janata Party’s withdrawal from a coalition with the People’s Democratic Party. The recent revocation of presidential rule has cleared the way for the newly formed government following recent Assembly elections.
In a letter from LG Sinha conveyed to Omar, he is invited to the ceremony to take the oath of office alongside his council of ministers. Leaders from the INDIA Bloc, including Akhilesh Yadav, Prakash Karat, Supriya Sule, and Kanimozhi, are expected to attend the significant event. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference shared images of various leaders arriving in Srinagar for this important occasion.
