Omar Abdullah, the vice-president of the National Conference, was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir today, marking the first elected government in the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
The oath ceremony took place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar, with notable leaders from the INDIA bloc in attendance, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Mehbooba Mufti, and Akhilesh Yadav. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath to Omar, who is now serving his second term as Chief Minister.
During the ceremony, five ministers were also sworn in. To ensure regional representation, Surinder Kumar Choudhary, who won against BJP chief Ravinder Raina in Nowshera, was appointed as Deputy Chief Minister. Other ministers included Sakina Itoo, Javed Ahmed Rana, Javid Ahmad Dar, and Satish Sharma. Itoo and Dar represent Kashmir, while Rana, Choudhary, and Sharma hail from the Jammu region. This decision aims to address concerns about adequate representation for Jammu, especially given the BJP’s success in the region.
Omar emphasized his commitment to ensuring that people from Jammu feel represented in the government. “I have appointed a Deputy CM so that the people of Jammu feel the government belongs to them just as much as it does to others,” he stated, adding that he plans to fill three additional vacancies soon.
In a surprising turn, the Congress party, a partner in the pre-poll alliance with the National Conference, announced it would not join the government, citing concerns over the lack of restored statehood for J&K.
After being sworn in, Omar instructed the J&K Director General not to establish a “green corridor” for his movements, aiming to reduce public inconvenience. He called for minimal use of sirens and urged his Cabinet colleagues to adopt a people-friendly approach, saying, “We are here to serve the people and not to inconvenience them.”
Later, Omar visited the Civil Secretariat, where he received a guard of honor and chaired a meeting with officers. He also visited the Hazratbal shrine earlier that morning before the oath ceremony.