“Looking Forward to Collaboration and Deliver Honest Administration for J&K”: Omar to PM Modi

Srinagar: Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday, thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulatory message. He expressed eagerness to collaborate on delivering effective, efficient, and honest governance for the people of the region.
The oath-taking ceremony, held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), was presided over by Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. Abdullah’s swearing-in comes after his National Conference party secured a significant victory in the recent elections.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Abdullah said, “Thank you very much @narendramodi Sb for your message of congratulations. My colleagues and I look forward to working together with you to give the people of J&K an effective, efficient, and honest administration.” He also extended gratitude to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for his best wishes regarding the new government formation. “My colleagues and I will do our best to live up to the expectations of the people of J&K,” he stated. Abdullah thanked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for attending the ceremony, noting, “The people of J&K look towards you for your continued support as we work to regain our statehood.” He expressed appreciation for the encouragement brought by both Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi during their visit. Responding to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, Abdullah emphasized the people’s rightful claim to credit for the revival of democracy in J&K and expressed hope for her ongoing support as his government fulfills its mandate. Notably, the ceremony also saw the swearing-in of National Conference leaders Javed Dar, Sakeena Ittoo, Javed Rana, Surinder Singh Choudhary, and Satish Sharma as cabinet ministers.
Key political figures, including Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, attended the event, showing their support for Abdullah. This marks the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir in ten years, following the dissolution of the state assembly in 2018. In the recent assembly elections, the National Conference and Congress secured a total of 48 seats, while the BJP won 29 and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) claimed three. Additionally, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) achieved its first electoral victory in Jammu and Kashmir with candidate Mehraj Malik.