J&K Lt Governor invites Omar Abdullah to form govt, oath-taking on Wednesday

Srinagar, Oct 14 (IANS) Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday invited NC Vice President Omar Abdullah to take the oath of office as the Chief Minister of the UT on Wednesday. 

The oath ceremony will be held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar at 11.30 a.m., he announced.

In a letter to Omar Abdullah, Lt Governor Sinha said: "I have received a letter of 11 October 2024 from Dr Farooq Abdullah, President, Jammu and Kashmir National Conference wherein it has been informed that you have been unanimously elected as Leader of the Legislature Party."

He also said that he had received letters from Congress' J&K chief Tariq Hameed Karra, CPI-M's Secretary G.N.Malik, Secretary, Aam Aadmi Party's national Secretary Pankaj Kumar Gupta, and independent MLAs, namely Pyare Lal Sharma, Satish Sharma, Ch Mohd Akram, Dr Rameshwar Singh, and Muzafar Iqbal Khan offering support in the formation of a National Conference-led government.

"I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. As separately settled, I shall administer oath of office and secrecy to you, and to those recommended by you for induction as members of your council of ministers, at SKICC Srinagar on 16th October 2024 at 11.30 am."

"I take the opportunity to wish you a highly productive tenure and success in your endeavours in the best interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir."

Omar Abdullah will be taking oath as the Chief Minister of J&K for the second time. He was the Chief Minister of J&K from 2008 to 2014 heading a National Conference-Congress coalition government.

In the recent Assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, the NC emerged as the largest party, securing 42 seats in the 90-member Assembly, while its coalition partners, the Congress and the CPI-M secured six and one seats, respectively, taking it over the halfway mark. Subsequently, the AAP's sole MLA and at least five of the seven Independents extended support to the NC. Omar Abdullah was elected the NC's legislature party chief soon after the declaration of results on Tuesday and 1had met the Lt Governor on Friday to stake his claim to form the government.