J&K Govt Formation | Surinder Choudhary, Omar Abdullah's New Deputy, Is A Former BJP Man

From facing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in June to scripting history four months later as the first chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir after an emphatic victory in the assembly elections, it has been quite a ride for Omar Abdullah.

Abdullah, 54, was sworn in as chief minister on Wednesday, marking the beginning of his second stint and the third generation of the influential Abdullah clan -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah -- in power. The National Conference (NC) vice president served as chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from 2009-14.

In a decisive win in the recent assembly elections, the NC won 42 of the 90 seats that went to polls. Its pre-poll alliance partner Congress won six. Together, the two allies have a majority in the 95-member assembly -- five members are to be nominated by the lieutenant governor. Five Independents and the lone AAP MLA have also extended support to the NC-Congress alliance.

In June, Abdullah endured an embarrassing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, losing Baramulla seat to Independent candidate Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, by more than 2 lakh votes.

While other parties were busy gearing up for the assembly polls, Abdullah announced he would sit out of the contest till the Centre restores statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He soon changed his stance and the NC fielded him from not one but two seats -- Budgam and Ganderbal. He won both by comfortable margins.

With his father and NC president Farooq Abdullah easing into retirement, many were of the view that this election would define the future of the political career of junior Abdullah.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories in August 2019, there has been an upsurge in support for the NC, with a large chunk of voters throwing their weight behind the oldest political party of the region. Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Abdullah on Wednesday. Five ministers -- Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma -- also took the oath of office. (PTI inputs)

Omar Abdullah, who was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on Wednesday, had once been a part of a Hindi film, making a debut on the big screen in 2008. Omar, who is the Vice President of the National Conference Party and former junior foreign minister in the Atal Behari Vajpayee cabinet, played himself in the Bollywood flick Mission Istanbul, starring Suniel Shetty, Shriya Saran, Vivek Oberoi, and Zayed Khan, among others.

It features an interview with Omar regarding the media's role in reporting Kashmir. The Apoorva Lakhia-directed film explores terrorism and its global expansion. Read More...

Shortly after taking oath as Jammu & Kashmir Deputy CM, Nowshera MLA Surinder Kumar Choudhary thanked Farooq and Omar Abdullah for giving him "such a big position". "With his decision to make me the Deputy CM, Omar Abdullah has proved that Jammu is as important as Kashmir...The honourable Home Minister in Parliament has said that statehood will be restored in J&K. Today when we have been elected by the people here, we hope that Modi ji and Amit Shah ji will restore statehood soon...our priorities will be to bridge the gap which has come in the last 10 years and resolve issues of unemployment, electricity, water, hospitals, schools and tourism...We will also work to resume Darbar Move again," Choudhary said while speaking to the media after the oath ceremony in Srinagar.

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday took charge as the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, where he held his first meeting with secretaries of various departments. Before taking charge, Omar received Guard of Honour as J&K UT’s first CM at the Secretariat.

Earlier in the day, the oath ceremony of the chief minister and his council of ministers was held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar and five of his ministers including Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma.

Nowshera MLA Surinder Kumar Choudhary took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday. Choudhary defeated BJP Jammu and Kashmir Unit president Ravinder Raina by a margin of 7,819 votes in the recently held assembly elections. Raina had defeated Choudhary in 2014 assembly elections by over 95,000 votes when the latter was contesting on a PDP ticket.

In 2015, Choudhary was nominated as a Member of Legislative Council (MLC) by the PDP. He resigned from the PDP in 2021 accusing Mehbooba Mufti of deviating from the agenda of party founder and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He joined the BJP on April 5, 2022. However, after a year-long association, he quit the saffron party as well and joined the National Conference on July 11, 2023, in the presence of Omar Abdullah. Choudhary is the only Hindu MLA from the NC-Congress alliance and has been rewarded with the position of Deputy Chief Minister for defeating a veteran leader like Raina.

Belonging to the Jat community, Choudhary is one of the prominent Hindu leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Choudhary is not highly educated. According to his election affidavit, he has completed education up to the 12th grade. He owns property worth ₹23 million (2.3 crore) as per the affidavit submitted to ECI.

It is a crown of thorns and may Allah help him fulfil the hopes of people, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Wednesday after his son Omar Abdullah took oath as the first chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Taking a cue from his grandfather, Zahir Abdullah, Omar Abdullah's son, said the new government's first priority is restoration of statehood. The state is full of challenges and I hope this government will do what it had promised in the election manifesto It is a crown of thorns and may (almighty) Allah succeed him (Omar) and he fulfils the people's hope. This is my message, Farooq Abdullah told reporters after the oath-taking ceremony at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).

After statehood, our true struggle (for restoration of) Article 370 will start. Article 370 will always be our priority, Zahir Abdullah added. Omar Abdullah heads the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, when the erstwhile state was bifurcated into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. (PTI)

On J&K CM Omar Abdullah's oath ceremony, Senior Congress leader Dr Karan Singh says, "I congratulate the Election Commission and the J&K LG as well as GoI for conducting this election. The mandate has been given to the INDIA alliance but in reality, it seems clear that the mandate was given to the National Conference..."

On Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad, he says "His political career is almost over. If he had been in Congress at that time, he could have played a good role in it but he left and formed his own party. After that, he is completely finished. Every person should retire. I am sitting comfortably. I am not in any post, it is not necessary that everyone should have a post all their lives..."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated Omar Abdullah on being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. In a post on X, Mamata wrote: "I congratulate Mr. Omar Abdullah on his being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir today. This is his second stint at the helm of the public life in the State, but the juncture today is more historic. I welcome his triumphal return through the elections, which truly constitute the greatest festival of democracy. I congratulate the real architects of the festival, i. e. the people of Jammu and Kashmir, in this festive moment of theirs."

Following his swearing-in as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that he has instructed the Director General of Police Jammu and Kashmir to minimise public inconvenience.

In his first post on X after assuming office, the CM stated, "I have spoken to the DG Jammu and Kashmir police that there is to be no 'green corridor' or traffic stoppage when I move anywhere by road. I have instructed him to minimize public inconvenience and the use of sirens is to be minimal."

He further added, "The use of any stick waving or aggressive gestures is to be totally avoided. I'm asking my cabinet colleagues to follow the same example. In everything, our conduct must be people-friendly. We are here to serve the people & not to inconvenience them." Omar's comments come given the challenges faced by locals during the movements of VIPs, including the Lieutenant Governor J&K and bureaucrats, which often involved significant security measures along highways.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed happiness over National Conference leader Omar Abdullah taking oath as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and said the two parties will fight jointly to restore statehood.

Kharge was among a galaxy of INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and left leaders Prakash Karat and D Raja, DMK’s animozhi and NCP’s Supriya Sule who attended the swearing-in ceremony here.

“We are happy that our alliance partner became the chief minister and it is a big success for J-K. Today, democracy has been restored and we will fight together to strengthen it. We will keep fighting till J-K gets back the statehood,” the Congress president said according to PTI.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar Abdullah on Wednesday. Omar took over as chief minister for a second term and is the third generation of the Abdullah family to occupy the office -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah. Five ministers -- Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma -- also took the oath of office. Read the brief profiles of Omar Abdullah's cabinet ministers here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on taking oath as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on Wednesday. The Prime Minister, in a post on X, said the centre will "work closely" with Omar and his team.

"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," PM Modi posted on X.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar, who takes over as chief minister for a second term and is the third generation of the Abdullah family to occupy the office -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah. Five ministers -- Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma -- also took the oath of office.

Omar Abdullah resumed his days in power after a hiatus of nearly 10 years as he took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. His party is a prime political stakeholder in J&K as it has ruled the erstwhile state for several decades. Born March 10, 1970, in Rochford, Essex, England, Omar is the grandson of the National Conference's founder, Sheikh Abdullah, and the son of long-time NC politician Farooq Abdullah. Omar's first major assignment in politics began in 1998 when he won the Lok Sabha election in the 12th General Elections. He was just 28 years old and became the youngest MP in the country at that time. He served as a junior minister for External Affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 2001 to 2002. Read More...

Former CM and 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.

"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. Read More...

BJP leader and former J&K deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday hoped that Omar Abdullah-led government will keep up with the peace process initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the union territory even as he reiterated BJP's promise of statehood.

"We hope the promises that he (Omar Abdullah) made during the election campaigns including freeing stone pelters, he will not tread that line. We are also hopeful that he will keep up with the peace process that was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jammu and Kashmir," Gupta told ETV Bharat in an exclusive interview.

Shortly before J&K CM Omar Abdullah took oath as the first Chief Minister of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Awami Ittehad Party chief and Lok Sabha MP, Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid said Omar was seemingly "running away from Article 370".

"Our best wishes are with them and we hope that they fulfil their promises... We also request the central government to cooperate with them... Omar Abdullah speaks of statehood, Article 370 and 35A... Omar Abdullah is running away from 370. When PM Modi abrogated Article 370, he met Farooq Abdullah 3 days before that... After the meeting, Farooq Abdullah said that nothing was going to be abrogated but it was abrogated and Farooq and Omar Abdullah were kept in a guest house. It seems as if Farooq and Omar Abdullah were on board. PM Modi removed Article 370 after consulting with them. All of it was a match-fixing. There is no doubt that the BJP helped NC in coming to power," Rashid, who is out on bail, said while speaking to media.

As Omar Abdullah took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it is only apt to take a look at who all were his predecessors in the erstwhile state. Since 1965, Jammu and Kashmir has seen nine politicians, starting from Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq to Mehbooba Mufti, serving as Chief Ministers. Omar Abdullah's father and National Conference's president Dr Farooq Abdullah holds the record as the longest-serving Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir state.

He served three terms, accumulating 11 years and 17 days in total. His first term ran from September 8, 1982, to July 2, 1984, for one year and 298 days. His second term lasted from November 7, 1986, to January 19, 1990, for three years and 73 days, followed by a six-year tenure from October 9, 1996, to October 18, 2002. Farooq's father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah served a combined total of seven years and 90 days. His first term spanned from February 25, 1975, to March 26, 1977, lasting two years and 29 days, while his second term lasted from July 9, 1977, to September 8, 1982, for an additional five years and 61 days. Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq is the third longest-serving Chief Minister, with a tenure from March 30, 1965, to December 12, 1971, totalling six years and 257 days. Interestingly, Congress's Sadiq was the first CM of Jammu and Kashmir. Read More...

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Tariq Hameed Karra in a brief statement on Wednesday said that Congress will not join the Ministry in Jammu and Kashmir government at the moment. "Congress has strongly demanded the Centre to restore Statehood to J&K, besides the Prime Minister has time and again in public meetings promised the same. But the Statehood has not been restored to J&K. We are unhappy therefore we are not joining the Ministry at the moment," JKPCC Chief added and said Congress party will continue to fight for the restoration of statehood

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. The oath ceremony of the chief minister and his council of ministers was held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar and five other ministers. INDIA Bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Prakash Karat, Kanimozhi, and Mehbooba Mufti among other leaders attended Omar's oath ceremony.

Jammu and Kashmir UT CM-designate and JKNC leader Omar Abdullah along with party chief Farooq Abdullah reached the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on Wednesday where the swearing-in ceremony will be happening shortly from now. A battery of top politicians especially ones from the INDIA bloc are attending the ceremony.

J&K National Conference and Chief Minister Designate Omar Abdullah visited the revered Hazratbal Shrine ahead of the oath-taking ceremony today. He prayed for the peace and prosperity of Jammu & Kashmir.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reached Srinagar to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Omar Abdullah as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Earlier today, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also arrived in the city to attend the swearing-in as Jammu and Kashmir gets its first Chief Minister since its reorganization as a Union Territory.

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath of office to Omar Abdullah and his council of ministers. Leaders from various parties within the INDIA bloc have already arrived in the city for the high-profile ceremony. Following the oath, Omar will head to the Civil Secretariat, where he will be accorded a guard of honour. He is also expected to address the media later, in line with tradition.

Likely faces in Omar's new cabinet: As Omar Abdullah is set to take oath as the first Chief Minister of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, sources in the National Conference indicate that the senior NC leader Rahim Rather might be nominated as pro-tem speaker of the assembly and later he might be elected as the speaker.

They said the legislators whose names are making rounds in the party's power circles include: MLA Trehgam in Kupwara district and former law minister Mir Saifullah, the woman leader and MLA DH Pora Sakeena Itoo; the "giant killer" from Nowshera Surinder Choudhary who defeated BJP JK president Ravinder Raina; independent MLA from Chammb Satish Sharma, who has extended support to NC; senior Gujjar leader from Pir Panjal, Javed Rana who was elected from Mendhar constituency of Poonch district; independent MLA from Inderwal constituency of Doda Pyare Lal Sharma, and some young face of the NC, who may also be included into the cabinet.

Sources said that Javed Rana, Suridner Choudhary, Satish Sharma, Pyare Lal Sharma are likely to be accommodated to give fair representation to Pir Panjal, Jammu and Chenab valley. Congress, which is the major alliance partner of the NC is likely to stay out of the government given its small number of legislators and after the five independents bolstered Omar's support.

Sources in NC said that to evade dissent among the legislators, Omar has also suggested rotational ministers for the party legislators during the five years of the government. The six-year longest spell of the president's rule imposed on Jammu and Kashmir UT on October 19, 2019, two months after the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading the state into union territories on August 5, 2019, ended on 13 October 2024, after the conclusion of the assembly elections. Read More...

The Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar is getting ready for the swearing-in ceremony of CM-designate and JKNC leader Omar Abdullah which will be happening at 11:30 am today. The venue is named after Omar Abdullah's grandfather Sheikh Abdullah's honorific 'Sher-i-Kashmir', making it a fitting place for Omar to don his new role.

Located on the banks of Dal Lake, the Centre was established in 1977 and was designed by architect Joseph Stein. It has a capacity of 750 delegates and is braced with latest audio visual system, simultaneous interpretation system and video conferencing facility.

All roads lead to Srinagar SKICC where a battery of top politicians of the country have assembled to attend the swearing-in ceremony of National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah who is set to take oath as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory shortly from now.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi are among those scheduled to attend the ceremony. The National Conference-Congress alliance won the maiden assembly elections held after the abrogation of Article 370.

Reports say that Congress is going to sit out of the government and offer outside support to National Conference, though no official announcement has been made by Congress so far. Earlier today, Congress legislative party leader and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir told ETV Bharat that none of the six Congress legislators will take oath today before Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha as a mark of "protest" for the restoration of the statehood.

Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) leader and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone on Monday congratulated Omar Abdullah, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), on being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Lone took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to share his wishes while emphasizing the restoration of popular rule in the region after more than five years. "It is a momentous day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. After more than five years, popular rule is being restored," Lone wrote. He added, "We need to remember though that the last assembly was the most empowered assembly in the country. And today it is probably among the most disempowered."

In his post, Lone also referred to the political changes following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, calling for the restoration of what he described as rights taken from the people of the region. "Let us hope we reclaim and retrieve whatever we were robbed of on August 5, 2019, and what rightfully belongs to us," he said.

Lone extended his best wishes and congratulations to the National Conference and Omar Abdullah, saying, "My best wishes and congratulations to NC and Omar."

Earlier this year, both Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone had contested unsuccessfully from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in north Kashmir. However, during the Assembly elections, both Omar and Lone contested two seats. Omar won from Budgam and Ganderbal, while Lone lost in Kupwara but secured a victory in Handwara.

Lone's JKPC was once part of the Farooq Abdullah-led People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a coalition formed to seek the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Jammu and Kashmir CM-designate Omar Abdullah, Wednesday morning offered floral tributes at the Mazar-e-Anwar of his grandfather and “Sher-e-Kashmir” Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, near Srinagar's Hazratbal Dargah. Sheikh was the first Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after its accession to India and later became the state's chief minister.

Speaking to reporters at the venue, Omar said, "I came as a grandson just to place flowers on the grave of my grandfather and grandmother. But more importantly, I came to Dargah Sharif Hazratbal just to offer a silent prayer to ask almighty Allah to give me the strength to live up to the expectations of people. Jammu and Kashmir has gone through an extremely difficult time. People have enormous expectations and our challenge is to live up to those expectations."

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.

Speaking to ANI, Omar reiterated on statehood status to Jammu and Kashmir. "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. The best way to do that would be to start by restoring statehood to J-K," Omar said. Read More...

Congress legislative party leader and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir told ETV Bharat on Wednesday that none of the six Congress legislators will take oath today before Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha as a mark of "protest" for the restoration of the statehood. ETV Bharat's Mir Farhat spoke to the Congress leader at SKICC hours before the swearing-in ceremony. Read On...

The stage is set for National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah to take oath as the first chief minister of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory here at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

SKICC has been fortified with security arrangements as the major event is attended by Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Malikarjun Kharge, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) leader Prakash Karat, Nationalist Congress Party of Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP) leader Supriya Sule, Davidra Munetra Kazagham(DMK) leader Kanimozi and other leaders who represent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress

All these dignitaries arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday evening as guests for the swearing-in ceremony. Officials have made all the preparations for swearing in of Omar Abdullah and his other ministers. The oath ceremony will be held at 11.30 am here in SKICC.

For Omar Abdullah, taking oath as the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is going to be a defining moment in his political career. The junior Abdullah is set to take over the reins of the erstwhile state in a system which has already clipped the wings he once proudly fluttered as he took over the reins of the state for the first time in January 2009.

It is also the first time, the home department, which controls the Jammu and Kashmir Police will be out of his domain, leaving him with negligible powers over significant security issues in the border state. ETV Bharat's Moazum Mohammad decodes Omar's new role here.

From facing defeat in the Lok Sabha polls in June to scripting history four months later as the first chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir after an emphatic victory in the assembly elections, it has been quite a ride for Omar Abdullah.

Abdullah, 54, was sworn in as chief minister on Wednesday, marking the beginning of his second stint and the third generation of the influential Abdullah clan -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah -- in power. The National Conference (NC) vice president served as chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir from 2009-14.

In a decisive win in the recent assembly elections, the NC won 42 of the 90 seats that went to polls. Its pre-poll alliance partner Congress won six. Together, the two allies have a majority in the 95-member assembly -- five members are to be nominated by the lieutenant governor. Five Independents and the lone AAP MLA have also extended support to the NC-Congress alliance.

In June, Abdullah endured an embarrassing defeat in the Lok Sabha elections, losing Baramulla seat to Independent candidate Abdul Rashid Sheikh, popularly known as Engineer Rashid, by more than 2 lakh votes.

While other parties were busy gearing up for the assembly polls, Abdullah announced he would sit out of the contest till the Centre restores statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. He soon changed his stance and the NC fielded him from not one but two seats -- Budgam and Ganderbal. He won both by comfortable margins.

With his father and NC president Farooq Abdullah easing into retirement, many were of the view that this election would define the future of the political career of junior Abdullah.

Following the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution and reorganisation of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories in August 2019, there has been an upsurge in support for the NC, with a large chunk of voters throwing their weight behind the oldest political party of the region. Lieutenant Governor (LG) Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Abdullah on Wednesday. Five ministers -- Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma -- also took the oath of office. (PTI inputs)

Omar Abdullah, who was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on Wednesday, had once been a part of a Hindi film, making a debut on the big screen in 2008. Omar, who is the Vice President of the National Conference Party and former junior foreign minister in the Atal Behari Vajpayee cabinet, played himself in the Bollywood flick Mission Istanbul, starring Suniel Shetty, Shriya Saran, Vivek Oberoi, and Zayed Khan, among others.

It features an interview with Omar regarding the media's role in reporting Kashmir. The Apoorva Lakhia-directed film explores terrorism and its global expansion. Read More...

Shortly after taking oath as Jammu & Kashmir Deputy CM, Nowshera MLA Surinder Kumar Choudhary thanked Farooq and Omar Abdullah for giving him "such a big position". "With his decision to make me the Deputy CM, Omar Abdullah has proved that Jammu is as important as Kashmir...The honourable Home Minister in Parliament has said that statehood will be restored in J&K. Today when we have been elected by the people here, we hope that Modi ji and Amit Shah ji will restore statehood soon...our priorities will be to bridge the gap which has come in the last 10 years and resolve issues of unemployment, electricity, water, hospitals, schools and tourism...We will also work to resume Darbar Move again," Choudhary said while speaking to the media after the oath ceremony in Srinagar.

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on Wednesday took charge as the Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar, where he held his first meeting with secretaries of various departments. Before taking charge, Omar received Guard of Honour as J&K UT’s first CM at the Secretariat.

Earlier in the day, the oath ceremony of the chief minister and his council of ministers was held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar and five of his ministers including Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma.

Nowshera MLA Surinder Kumar Choudhary took the oath as Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir on Wednesday. Choudhary defeated BJP Jammu and Kashmir Unit president Ravinder Raina by a margin of 7,819 votes in the recently held assembly elections. Raina had defeated Choudhary in 2014 assembly elections by over 95,000 votes when the latter was contesting on a PDP ticket.

In 2015, Choudhary was nominated as a Member of Legislative Council (MLC) by the PDP. He resigned from the PDP in 2021 accusing Mehbooba Mufti of deviating from the agenda of party founder and former chief minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. He joined the BJP on April 5, 2022. However, after a year-long association, he quit the saffron party as well and joined the National Conference on July 11, 2023, in the presence of Omar Abdullah. Choudhary is the only Hindu MLA from the NC-Congress alliance and has been rewarded with the position of Deputy Chief Minister for defeating a veteran leader like Raina.

Belonging to the Jat community, Choudhary is one of the prominent Hindu leaders in Jammu and Kashmir. Choudhary is not highly educated. According to his election affidavit, he has completed education up to the 12th grade. He owns property worth ₹23 million (2.3 crore) as per the affidavit submitted to ECI.

It is a crown of thorns and may Allah help him fulfil the hopes of people, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said on Wednesday after his son Omar Abdullah took oath as the first chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

Taking a cue from his grandfather, Zahir Abdullah, Omar Abdullah's son, said the new government's first priority is restoration of statehood. The state is full of challenges and I hope this government will do what it had promised in the election manifesto It is a crown of thorns and may (almighty) Allah succeed him (Omar) and he fulfils the people's hope. This is my message, Farooq Abdullah told reporters after the oath-taking ceremony at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).

After statehood, our true struggle (for restoration of) Article 370 will start. Article 370 will always be our priority, Zahir Abdullah added. Omar Abdullah heads the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, when the erstwhile state was bifurcated into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. (PTI)

On J&K CM Omar Abdullah's oath ceremony, Senior Congress leader Dr Karan Singh says, "I congratulate the Election Commission and the J&K LG as well as GoI for conducting this election. The mandate has been given to the INDIA alliance but in reality, it seems clear that the mandate was given to the National Conference..."

On Democratic Progressive Azad Party Chairman Ghulam Nabi Azad, he says "His political career is almost over. If he had been in Congress at that time, he could have played a good role in it but he left and formed his own party. After that, he is completely finished. Every person should retire. I am sitting comfortably. I am not in any post, it is not necessary that everyone should have a post all their lives..."

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee congratulated Omar Abdullah on being sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. In a post on X, Mamata wrote: "I congratulate Mr. Omar Abdullah on his being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir today. This is his second stint at the helm of the public life in the State, but the juncture today is more historic. I welcome his triumphal return through the elections, which truly constitute the greatest festival of democracy. I congratulate the real architects of the festival, i. e. the people of Jammu and Kashmir, in this festive moment of theirs."

Following his swearing-in as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said that he has instructed the Director General of Police Jammu and Kashmir to minimise public inconvenience.

In his first post on X after assuming office, the CM stated, "I have spoken to the DG Jammu and Kashmir police that there is to be no 'green corridor' or traffic stoppage when I move anywhere by road. I have instructed him to minimize public inconvenience and the use of sirens is to be minimal."

He further added, "The use of any stick waving or aggressive gestures is to be totally avoided. I'm asking my cabinet colleagues to follow the same example. In everything, our conduct must be people-friendly. We are here to serve the people & not to inconvenience them." Omar's comments come given the challenges faced by locals during the movements of VIPs, including the Lieutenant Governor J&K and bureaucrats, which often involved significant security measures along highways.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Wednesday expressed happiness over National Conference leader Omar Abdullah taking oath as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir and said the two parties will fight jointly to restore statehood.

Kharge was among a galaxy of INDIA bloc leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and left leaders Prakash Karat and D Raja, DMK’s animozhi and NCP’s Supriya Sule who attended the swearing-in ceremony here.

“We are happy that our alliance partner became the chief minister and it is a big success for J-K. Today, democracy has been restored and we will fight together to strengthen it. We will keep fighting till J-K gets back the statehood,” the Congress president said according to PTI.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar Abdullah on Wednesday. Omar took over as chief minister for a second term and is the third generation of the Abdullah family to occupy the office -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah. Five ministers -- Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma -- also took the oath of office. Read the brief profiles of Omar Abdullah's cabinet ministers here.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah on taking oath as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on Wednesday. The Prime Minister, in a post on X, said the centre will "work closely" with Omar and his team.

"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," PM Modi posted on X.

Lt Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar, who takes over as chief minister for a second term and is the third generation of the Abdullah family to occupy the office -- after his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah. Five ministers -- Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma -- also took the oath of office.

Omar Abdullah resumed his days in power after a hiatus of nearly 10 years as he took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. His party is a prime political stakeholder in J&K as it has ruled the erstwhile state for several decades. Born March 10, 1970, in Rochford, Essex, England, Omar is the grandson of the National Conference's founder, Sheikh Abdullah, and the son of long-time NC politician Farooq Abdullah. Omar's first major assignment in politics began in 1998 when he won the Lok Sabha election in the 12th General Elections. He was just 28 years old and became the youngest MP in the country at that time. He served as a junior minister for External Affairs in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government from 2001 to 2002. Read More...

Former CM and 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.

"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. Read More...

BJP leader and former J&K deputy Chief Minister Kavinder Gupta on Wednesday hoped that Omar Abdullah-led government will keep up with the peace process initiated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the union territory even as he reiterated BJP's promise of statehood.

"We hope the promises that he (Omar Abdullah) made during the election campaigns including freeing stone pelters, he will not tread that line. We are also hopeful that he will keep up with the peace process that was started by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Jammu and Kashmir," Gupta told ETV Bharat in an exclusive interview.

Shortly before J&K CM Omar Abdullah took oath as the first Chief Minister of Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, Awami Ittehad Party chief and Lok Sabha MP, Sheikh Abdul Rashid alias Engineer Rashid said Omar was seemingly "running away from Article 370".

"Our best wishes are with them and we hope that they fulfil their promises... We also request the central government to cooperate with them... Omar Abdullah speaks of statehood, Article 370 and 35A... Omar Abdullah is running away from 370. When PM Modi abrogated Article 370, he met Farooq Abdullah 3 days before that... After the meeting, Farooq Abdullah said that nothing was going to be abrogated but it was abrogated and Farooq and Omar Abdullah were kept in a guest house. It seems as if Farooq and Omar Abdullah were on board. PM Modi removed Article 370 after consulting with them. All of it was a match-fixing. There is no doubt that the BJP helped NC in coming to power," Rashid, who is out on bail, said while speaking to media.

As Omar Abdullah took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, it is only apt to take a look at who all were his predecessors in the erstwhile state. Since 1965, Jammu and Kashmir has seen nine politicians, starting from Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq to Mehbooba Mufti, serving as Chief Ministers. Omar Abdullah's father and National Conference's president Dr Farooq Abdullah holds the record as the longest-serving Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir state.

He served three terms, accumulating 11 years and 17 days in total. His first term ran from September 8, 1982, to July 2, 1984, for one year and 298 days. His second term lasted from November 7, 1986, to January 19, 1990, for three years and 73 days, followed by a six-year tenure from October 9, 1996, to October 18, 2002. Farooq's father Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah served a combined total of seven years and 90 days. His first term spanned from February 25, 1975, to March 26, 1977, lasting two years and 29 days, while his second term lasted from July 9, 1977, to September 8, 1982, for an additional five years and 61 days. Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq is the third longest-serving Chief Minister, with a tenure from March 30, 1965, to December 12, 1971, totalling six years and 257 days. Interestingly, Congress's Sadiq was the first CM of Jammu and Kashmir. Read More...

Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief Tariq Hameed Karra in a brief statement on Wednesday said that Congress will not join the Ministry in Jammu and Kashmir government at the moment. "Congress has strongly demanded the Centre to restore Statehood to J&K, besides the Prime Minister has time and again in public meetings promised the same. But the Statehood has not been restored to J&K. We are unhappy therefore we are not joining the Ministry at the moment," JKPCC Chief added and said Congress party will continue to fight for the restoration of statehood

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. The oath ceremony of the chief minister and his council of ministers was held at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on the banks of Dal Lake. J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar and five other ministers. INDIA Bloc leaders Rahul Gandhi, Kharge, Akhilesh Yadav, Prakash Karat, Kanimozhi, and Mehbooba Mufti among other leaders attended Omar's oath ceremony.

Jammu and Kashmir UT CM-designate and JKNC leader Omar Abdullah along with party chief Farooq Abdullah reached the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar on Wednesday where the swearing-in ceremony will be happening shortly from now. A battery of top politicians especially ones from the INDIA bloc are attending the ceremony.

J&K National Conference and Chief Minister Designate Omar Abdullah visited the revered Hazratbal Shrine ahead of the oath-taking ceremony today. He prayed for the peace and prosperity of Jammu & Kashmir.

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge reached Srinagar to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Omar Abdullah as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Earlier today, Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi also arrived in the city to attend the swearing-in as Jammu and Kashmir gets its first Chief Minister since its reorganization as a Union Territory.

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to begin at 11:30 am at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC), where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the oath of office to Omar Abdullah and his council of ministers. Leaders from various parties within the INDIA bloc have already arrived in the city for the high-profile ceremony. Following the oath, Omar will head to the Civil Secretariat, where he will be accorded a guard of honour. He is also expected to address the media later, in line with tradition.

Likely faces in Omar's new cabinet: As Omar Abdullah is set to take oath as the first Chief Minister of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory, sources in the National Conference indicate that the senior NC leader Rahim Rather might be nominated as pro-tem speaker of the assembly and later he might be elected as the speaker.

They said the legislators whose names are making rounds in the party's power circles include: MLA Trehgam in Kupwara district and former law minister Mir Saifullah, the woman leader and MLA DH Pora Sakeena Itoo; the "giant killer" from Nowshera Surinder Choudhary who defeated BJP JK president Ravinder Raina; independent MLA from Chammb Satish Sharma, who has extended support to NC; senior Gujjar leader from Pir Panjal, Javed Rana who was elected from Mendhar constituency of Poonch district; independent MLA from Inderwal constituency of Doda Pyare Lal Sharma, and some young face of the NC, who may also be included into the cabinet.

Sources said that Javed Rana, Suridner Choudhary, Satish Sharma, Pyare Lal Sharma are likely to be accommodated to give fair representation to Pir Panjal, Jammu and Chenab valley. Congress, which is the major alliance partner of the NC is likely to stay out of the government given its small number of legislators and after the five independents bolstered Omar's support.

Sources in NC said that to evade dissent among the legislators, Omar has also suggested rotational ministers for the party legislators during the five years of the government. The six-year longest spell of the president's rule imposed on Jammu and Kashmir UT on October 19, 2019, two months after the abrogation of Article 370 and downgrading the state into union territories on August 5, 2019, ended on 13 October 2024, after the conclusion of the assembly elections. Read More...

The Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar is getting ready for the swearing-in ceremony of CM-designate and JKNC leader Omar Abdullah which will be happening at 11:30 am today. The venue is named after Omar Abdullah's grandfather Sheikh Abdullah's honorific 'Sher-i-Kashmir', making it a fitting place for Omar to don his new role.

Located on the banks of Dal Lake, the Centre was established in 1977 and was designed by architect Joseph Stein. It has a capacity of 750 delegates and is braced with latest audio visual system, simultaneous interpretation system and video conferencing facility.

All roads lead to Srinagar SKICC where a battery of top politicians of the country have assembled to attend the swearing-in ceremony of National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah who is set to take oath as the first Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory shortly from now.

Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi are among those scheduled to attend the ceremony. The National Conference-Congress alliance won the maiden assembly elections held after the abrogation of Article 370.

Reports say that Congress is going to sit out of the government and offer outside support to National Conference, though no official announcement has been made by Congress so far. Earlier today, Congress legislative party leader and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir told ETV Bharat that none of the six Congress legislators will take oath today before Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha as a mark of "protest" for the restoration of the statehood.

Jammu and Kashmir People's Conference (JKPC) leader and MLA Handwara Sajad Lone on Monday congratulated Omar Abdullah, leader of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), on being sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.

Lone took to social media platform X, formerly Twitter, to share his wishes while emphasizing the restoration of popular rule in the region after more than five years. "It is a momentous day for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. After more than five years, popular rule is being restored," Lone wrote. He added, "We need to remember though that the last assembly was the most empowered assembly in the country. And today it is probably among the most disempowered."

In his post, Lone also referred to the political changes following the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, calling for the restoration of what he described as rights taken from the people of the region. "Let us hope we reclaim and retrieve whatever we were robbed of on August 5, 2019, and what rightfully belongs to us," he said.

Lone extended his best wishes and congratulations to the National Conference and Omar Abdullah, saying, "My best wishes and congratulations to NC and Omar."

Earlier this year, both Omar Abdullah and Sajad Lone had contested unsuccessfully from the Baramulla Lok Sabha seat in north Kashmir. However, during the Assembly elections, both Omar and Lone contested two seats. Omar won from Budgam and Ganderbal, while Lone lost in Kupwara but secured a victory in Handwara.

Lone's JKPC was once part of the Farooq Abdullah-led People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), a coalition formed to seek the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir’s special status.

Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Jammu and Kashmir CM-designate Omar Abdullah, Wednesday morning offered floral tributes at the Mazar-e-Anwar of his grandfather and “Sher-e-Kashmir” Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, near Srinagar's Hazratbal Dargah. Sheikh was the first Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after its accession to India and later became the state's chief minister.

Speaking to reporters at the venue, Omar said, "I came as a grandson just to place flowers on the grave of my grandfather and grandmother. But more importantly, I came to Dargah Sharif Hazratbal just to offer a silent prayer to ask almighty Allah to give me the strength to live up to the expectations of people. Jammu and Kashmir has gone through an extremely difficult time. People have enormous expectations and our challenge is to live up to those expectations."

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.

Speaking to ANI, Omar reiterated on statehood status to Jammu and Kashmir. "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. The best way to do that would be to start by restoring statehood to J-K," Omar said. Read More...

Congress legislative party leader and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary Ghulam Ahmad Mir told ETV Bharat on Wednesday that none of the six Congress legislators will take oath today before Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha as a mark of "protest" for the restoration of the statehood. ETV Bharat's Mir Farhat spoke to the Congress leader at SKICC hours before the swearing-in ceremony. Read On...

The stage is set for National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah to take oath as the first chief minister of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory here at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

SKICC has been fortified with security arrangements as the major event is attended by Congress leader and the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress president Malikarjun Kharge, Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Communist Party of India (CPI) leader D Raja, Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPIM) leader Prakash Karat, Nationalist Congress Party of Sharad Pawar (NCP-SP) leader Supriya Sule, Davidra Munetra Kazagham(DMK) leader Kanimozi and other leaders who represent Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Trinamool Congress

All these dignitaries arrived in Srinagar on Tuesday evening as guests for the swearing-in ceremony. Officials have made all the preparations for swearing in of Omar Abdullah and his other ministers. The oath ceremony will be held at 11.30 am here in SKICC.

For Omar Abdullah, taking oath as the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir is going to be a defining moment in his political career. The junior Abdullah is set to take over the reins of the erstwhile state in a system which has already clipped the wings he once proudly fluttered as he took over the reins of the state for the first time in January 2009.

It is also the first time, the home department, which controls the Jammu and Kashmir Police will be out of his domain, leaving him with negligible powers over significant security issues in the border state. ETV Bharat's Moazum Mohammad decodes Omar's new role here.