Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to Omar Abdullah on Wednesday after he was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Modi, on his official X handle, said, “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. The Centre will work closely with him and his team for J&K’s progress.”
Swearing-In Ceremony Held in Jammu and Kashmir
Earlier, J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar Abdullah. Along with him, five MLAs—Surinder Choudhary, Sakina Itoo, Javaid Ahmad Rana, Javaid Ahmad Dar, and Satish Sharma—were also sworn in as ministers. Abdullah named Surinder Choudhary as the Deputy Chief Minister, keeping his promise to give proper representation to Jammu division.
Abdullah is now serving as the 14th Chief Minister of J&K. He previously held the position from 2009 to 2015, during the full six-year term of the former J&K state.
Congress Supports Without Taking Oath
The Congress party has decided to support Abdullah’s government from outside. G.A. Mir, the leader of the J&K Congress legislature party, confirmed the party’s commitment to the restoration of statehood for J&K. He said Congress would not take the oath of office until statehood is fully restored.
Mir reiterated that the party’s priority is the restoration of rights for the people of J&K and called on Prime Minister Modi to respect the people’s mandate for statehood. Despite not taking ministerial posts, Congress remains aligned with its INDIA bloc allies and an integral part of the government.
Also Read: PM Modi Congratulates Omar Abdullah On Becoming J&K Chief Minister, Assures Cooperation