Omar Abdullah on Thursday said the National Conference‘s tally in Jammu and Kashmir has reached the majority mark of 46 seats after 4 Independent MLAs extended support to the party, adding that he was now waiting for the letter of support from Congress to stake claim to form the government.
Earlier in the day, Omar was elected the leader of the legislature party by the National Conference — a stepping stone towards becoming the chief minister.
Thanking the legislators, Abdullah told reporters: “You are aware of the decision that was taken. A meeting of the NC legislature party took place, the legislature party has decided its leader and I am thankful from the bottom of my heart to the NC legislators that they have reposed their faith in me and given me a chance to stake claim for government formation.”
On being asked when he will meet the governor to stake claim to form the government in J&K, Abdullah said he was waiting for the letter of support from the Congress.
“We are in talks with Congress for their letter of support. Once we have it, will go to the governor as soon as possible. We have given Congress’ today’s day to complete the process for the letter,” Abdullah said.
Earlier in the day, Abdullah emphasised the importance of the newly formed government in Jammu and Kashmir passing a resolution and engaging in discussions with the central government to restore the region’s statehood. He stated, “Once the government is formed, it should pass a resolution and then engage in talks with the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and other ministers in Delhi.”
Abdullah also stressed the need for the government to work in harmony with the Lieutenant Governor (LG) for the welfare of the people. “We do not seek a major confrontation between the LG and the government. Instead, we aim for peaceful cooperation and to work for the people until we regain our rightful status as a state. We hope to restore statehood as soon as possible,” he added.
When questioned about a congratulatory call from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Abdullah expressed his gratitude and conveyed the alliance’s desire to create a cooperative and conducive environment to serve the people of Jammu and Kashmir. However, he refrained from commenting on portfolio allocations or the possibility of a Congress leader assuming the position of Deputy Chief Minister.
Abdullah acknowledged the trust placed in the coalition by the people, which resulted in securing a significant number of seats. He emphasised the government’s responsibility to meet the expectations of the citizens.
Furthermore, he assured that the future government would work for all individuals, regardless of their political affiliations or whether they participated in the voting process. “We are not the type to seek revenge on those who didn’t vote for us. The upcoming government will represent the Congress, the National Conference, the BJP, and even those who abstained from voting. In Srinagar, only 20 per cent voted–should we ignore the remaining 80 per cent? They too deserve the benefits of governance. Similarly, the people of Jammu, who voted for the BJP, also have the right to benefit from the government,” he said.
