Srinagar: After taking his oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Surinder Kumar Choudhary emphasized on Wednesday the administration’s commitment to bridging the gap created over the past decade and addressing pressing issues such as unemployment, electricity, and water supply.
Choudhary expressed hope that the Central Government would soon restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
“I am immensely grateful to leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah for entrusting me with this significant role. Omar Abdullah’s decision to appoint me as Deputy CM underscores the importance of Jammu alongside Kashmir. The Home Minister has stated in Parliament that statehood will be restored, and with our election by the people, we are optimistic that Prime Minister Modi and Amit Shah will act on this soon,” he said.
He outlined key priorities for his administration, which include tackling unemployment, improving infrastructure in hospitals and schools, enhancing tourism, and reinstating the Darbar Move.
Meanwhile Independent MLA Satish Sharma was also inducted into Chief Minister Omar Abdullah’s cabinet during the ceremony. Upon taking his oath, Sharma congratulated the people of Jammu and Kashmir for forming a stable government.
He commended CM Abdullah for ensuring Jammu receives its fair share and expressed hope that the central government would be magnanimous in restoring rights taken away from the region.
Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Saxena administering the oath at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.
This swearing-in follows the Congress-National Conference alliance securing 48 seats in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections, with the National Conference winning 42 seats and Congress claiming six. This marks the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the subsequent reorganization of the former state into two Union Territories.
