First resolution of J&K cabinet to be on statehood, says Omar Abdullah

Srinagar, Oct 9 (IANS) Former J&K Chief Minister and National Conference (NC) Vice President Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that the first business of the J&K cabinet would be to pass a resolution for the restoration of statehood.  

Talking to the media here, Omar Abdullah said, “It should be the first business of the J&K cabinet to pass a resolution asking the Centre to restore statehood to J&K. The Chief Minister should then travel to Delhi with the resolution and ask the government to restore our statehood."

He said this was promised by the Prime Minister, Home Minister and others. "Nowhere did they say that statehood would be restored only to a government that has BJP members,” he said.

The NC Vice-President added that his party would not give up its demand for the restoration of Article 370. “Our stand on this will never change,” he asserted.

Omar Abdullah also said, “The government to be formed by us will be of those who voted for us, who voted against us and those who didn’t vote at all. Special attention will be given to those areas where elected representatives would not be part of the new government.”

He refused to divulge the names of Independent candidates who might join the NC. “Why do you want me to name them? They will be harassed. When they join us, as some of them have sent us the word, we won’t be able to hide their names from the media,” Abdullah said in reply to a question.

Asked whether he would be the next Chief Minister of J&K, he said, “First of all there would be a meeting of the NC legislature party. They will elect a leader. Then the alliance partners will meet and decide on the choice of the chief minister. After that, the nominated leader of the alliance will go to Raj Bhavan and stake claim to power. So far as I am concerned, I would like the swearing-in to happen as soon as possible. We have been without an elected government since 2018 and it is high time we settled down to work,” he said.

He thanked his father, Dr Farooq Abdullah for saying that Omar would be the next chief minister of J&K.

“I thank my father for everything he did for the party. He is dear to me, but such things are decided by the legislature party and that procedure will be followed in letter and spirit,” he said.

In the 98-member Legislative Assembly of J&K, NC would have 42, BJP 29, Congress six, PDP three, CPI(M) one, Peoples Conference one, Aam Aadmi Party one and Independents seven members. Five members would be nominated by the Lt Governor and those would have voting rights in the government formation.