Omar Abdullah To Take Oath As Jammu And Kashmir Chief Minister On Oct 16: LG

Omar Abdullah will be sworn in as the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, the Raj Bhawan informed on Monday.

Srinagar:Following the National Conference's sweeping victory in the recent Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections 2024, the Omar Abdullah led government will take oath on Wednesday, Omar informed on Monday.

“Was pleased to receive the Principal Secretary to LG Manoj Sinha ji. He handed over a letter from the Office of LG J&K inviting me to form the next government in J&K,” Omar captioned a picture of the Principal Secretary to LG Manoj Sinha on X .

"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 Leader of the Legislature Party. I have also received a letter from Shri Tariq Hameed Karma. President, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee. Shri GN. Malk Secretary, CPI(M), Shri Pankaj Kumar Gupta, National Secretary, Aam Aadmi Party and Independent MLAs namely, Shri Payare Lal Sharma, Satish Sharma, Ch. Mohd Akram, Dr. Rameshwar Singh and Muzafar Iqbal Khan, offering support in the formation of the Government led by you. 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 16 October, 2024 at 11:30 am. I take this opportunity to wish you a highly productive tenure and success in your endeavors in the best interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir," a letter by the LG Office stated.

Speaking on the sidelines of a cricket match on Saturday, Omar had told ETV Bharat that the oath-taking will take place Wednesday.

He had also referred to the infamous fax controversy during the tenure of then Governor Satya Pal Malik.

"We once tried to form a government via fax, but the fax machine didn't work. If you expect us to run a government through a fax, it won't end well. There's a procedure to follow for ending the President's Rule. Cabinet notes are important, and all formalities will be completed by Monday. With the Almighty's will, we will take the oath on Wednesday,"the Chief Minister designate said.

The NC-Congress, which had formed a pre-poll alliance ahead of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections won 47 seats-42 won by the NC.

Political Career

Omar began his political innings at the age of 28 years when he first contested the 1998 parliament elections and was appointed as the Minister of State (MoS) for Commerce and Industries. He later served as MoS for External Affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led BJP government at the centre.

In 2002, Omar contested his first assembly elections and lost the seat from Ganderbal against the PDP's candidate Qazi Afzal. That year, PDP and Congress formed a coalition government. In 2008, Omar won the elections from Ganderbal and became chief minister with Congress support.

In the 2014 assembly elections, he contested from Sonawar and Beerwah seats but lost the polls against PDP's new entrant Ashraf Mir from Sonwar. The PDP and BJP joined hands to form the government in 2015, which lasted for more than three years after the BJP withdrew support for Mehbooba Mufti in June 2018.

Omar will be the chief minister with the thin support of Congress and independents, though his party has the majority of 42 seats in the 90-member legislative assembly.

This will be his second stint as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, but he will be heading a union territory.