On October 16, 2024, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, marking the formation of the first elected government in the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. The oath was administered by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. Along with Abdullah, five ministers were also sworn in, although the Congress, which secured six seats, abstained from participating as a protest for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
This marks Abdullah’s second tenure as Chief Minister, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah. Reflecting on the challenges ahead, Abdullah noted that serving as the CM of a Union Territory, rather than a state, brings unique difficulties, but he expressed hope that the status would be temporary. He said, “We look forward to working in cooperation with the government of India to resolve the people’s problems, and the best way to start would be by restoring statehood to J&K.”
The NC-Congress alliance won 48 seats in the Assembly elections, with the NC securing 42 seats. Despite the Congress not joining the ministry immediately, several top leaders of the INDIA bloc, including Rahul Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, and others, attended the ceremony, showing unity in the new political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.
Omar Abdullah acknowledged the high expectations of the people and emphasized that the new government would focus on addressing their concerns. “We have a lot to do. People have been without a government for 5-6 years. It will be our responsibility to listen to them and act on their issues,” he said.
