'We'll work closely': Modi congratulates new J&K CM Omar Abdullah
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Omar Abdullah, the newly sworn-in Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. In a post on X, PM Modi promised that the Union government will work closely with Abdullah's administration to take the region forward. "Congratulations to Shri Omar Abdullah Ji on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Wishing him the very best in his efforts to serve the people," he wrote.
Abdullah's swearing-in ceremony and cabinet formation
Abdullah, a National Conference (NC) leader, was sworn in for the second term as J&K CM by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre in Srinagar. This is the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since its special status was revoked in 2019. Along with Abdullah, five ministers were also sworn into office: Sakina Masood (Itoo) and Javed Dar from Kashmir Valley, and Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma from the Jammu region.
Congress expresses dissatisfaction, Abdullah addresses speculation
The Congress party, an NC ally, said it was not joining the council of ministers "at the moment." Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Tariq Hameed Karra said the party was unhappy with the Centre's delay in restoring full statehood to J&K and was therefore not joining the ministry. Karra, however, did not address reports of a rift between the NC and Congress, which had a pre-poll alliance, over ministerial berths.
National Conference's victory in assembly elections
Addressing reports of the rift with the Congress, Abdullah said their alliance is strong. "No, why is not all well. If all is not well, why (Mallikarjun) Kharge (Congress president), Rahul (Gandhi) and other senior leaders of Congress would be coming here," he said. The NC won 42 out of 90 seats in the assembly elections, while the Congress won just six seats. Abdullah's first term as CM was from 2009 to 2014 when J&K was a state.
