'Being CM of Union Territory Has Its Own Challenges...': Omar Abdullah Ahead of His Oath-Taking Ceremony

Omar Abdullah anticipates challenges as Jammu and Kashmir's CM, emphasising the need for statehood restoration and addressing public expectations after years of turmoil.

Srinagar: Ahead of his oath-taking ceremony as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah said on Wednesday that he "looks forward" to working in cooperation with the government of India but being the CM of a Union Territory has its own challenges.

While talking to ANI, Omar reiterated on statehood status of Jammu and Kashmir. He said, "I have some strange distinctions. I was the last chief minister to serve a full six-year term. Now I'll be the first chief minister of the Union territory of J-K. The last distinction, as in the one of serving six years, I'm quite happy about."

"Being a CM of a Union Territory is a different matter altogether. It has its own challenges. I hope that the status of a union territory is a temporary one. We look forward to working in cooperation with the government of India to resolve the people's problems and the best way to do that would be to start by restoring statehood to J-K," Omar Abdullah added.

Further, he asserted that the people of J-K have gone through difficult times and they have many expectations from this government.

He said, "Jammu Kashmir has gone through difficult times. People have many expectations and our challenge is to live up to them. We have a lot to do. We have to give people the hope that this is their government and they will be heard. They were not been heard for the last 5-6 years. It will be our responsibility to listen to them and act on it."

Omar Abdullah is set to take oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in Srinagar today.

The oath-taking ceremony will be held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), Srinagar and the oath of office to Abdullah along with his council of ministers will be administered by J-K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha.

Posters have been put up outside Srinagar airport to welcome Lok Sabha LoP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi who along with other INDIA bloc leaders like Akhilesh Yadav, Supriya Sule, Prakash Karat, Kanimozhi will attend the oath-taking ceremony of Omar.

This will be the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of the former state into two Union Territories. This came after the Congress-National Conference secured 48 seats, with the NC winning 42 and the Congress only six seats in the Jammu Kashmir assembly elections.

Jammu and Kashmir has been under Presidential rule since 2018 after the Bharatiya Janata Party withdrew its support from the coalition government with Mehbooba Mufti-led People's Democratic Party (PDP).

Recently, the president's rule in Jammu and Kashmir was revoked, clearing the way for the formation of a new government following the recently concluded Assembly polls in the Union Territory.