Srinagar: Omar Abdullah, the vice-president of the National Conference (NC), is poised to take the oath of office as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on October 16.
In a significant move, Abdullah met with Jammu and Kashmir’s Lieutenant Governor, Manoj Sinha, on Friday evening to formally stake his claim to form the next government. This follows his election as the leader of the NC legislative party earlier in the week.
During the meeting, Abdullah presented letters of support from the Congress party, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Aam Aadmi Party, and five independent lawmakers, solidifying the coalition needed to establish the new government.
Addressing the media after his meeting with the Lieutenant Governor at Raj Bhawan, Abdullah emphasized the importance of ending the six-year-long President’s rule in the region. He stated, “We need to prepare the Cabinet’s note to end the President’s rule, which we will submit to the Rashtrapati Bhavan and the Union Home Ministry.”
He expressed optimism that the necessary procedures would be completed by Monday, allowing for preparations to be finalized by Tuesday. “If all goes well, we will take the oath on Wednesday,” he said.
Abdullah has urged the Lieutenant Governor to expedite the oath-taking process, highlighting the need for the elected government to assume office promptly. He remains hopeful that the formalities will be finalized in time for a ceremony next week.
