Srinagar:Former Chief Minister and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti on Wednesday urged the newly formed Jammu and Kashmir government to prioritize passing a resolution condemning the abrogation of Article 370, calling it a crucial first step toward addressing the region's challenges.
Her comments came after National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, in a high-profile ceremony at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake.
"After five years, Jammu and Kashmir finally has its own stable government. There are a lot of challenges ahead. We hope this government will pass its first resolution condemning the abrogation of Article 370," Mehbooba, the People's Democratic Party (PDP) leader, said while talking to reporters outside SKICC.
She highlighted the hardships endured by the people during the years of central rule, stressing the need for the new government to restore faith in local governance.
"The people of Jammu and Kashmir have seen a lot of trouble in the past five years. They have chosen this government with trust and expectation. This government should try to heal the wounds of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," she added.
Omar Abdullah, representing Budgam and Ganderbal in the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly, was today administered the oath of office by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. The ceremony, which took place in Srinagar, saw Abdullah assume the role of Chief Minister after a six-year absence of elected governance in the region.
Joining him in the new administration are Surinder Chowdhary, NC MLA from Nowshera, who was sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister, along with Sakina Itoo (NC, DH Pora), Satish Sharma (independent, Chhamb), Javaid Dar (NC, Rafiabad), and Javaid Rana (NC, Mendhar) as Cabinet Ministers.
Mehbooba also expressed optimism about the INDIA Bloc's success in Jammu and Kashmir, linking it to potential victories in upcoming elections in Maharashtra and Jharkhand. "With such positive results for the INDIA Bloc in J&K, I hope similar results are expected from Maharashtra and Jharkhand," she said, referring to the opposition coalition's growing momentum across India.
