Omar Abdullah Stakes Claim for Government Formation in Jammu and Kashmir

Omar Abdullah met Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to stake a claim for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. Backed by NC, Congress, AAP, and other parties, Abdullah emphasized the administrative process necessary due to Jammu and Kashmir's Union Territory status, marking the first elected government since the abrogation of Article 370.

Omar Abdullah, vice president of the National Conference (NC), met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday to formally stake a claim for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. Abdullah, backed by the NC, Congress, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), CPI (M), and independent candidates, presented support letters during his visit to Raj Bhavan in Srinagar.

He noted that the oath ceremony will take time due to the administrative process required, as Jammu and Kashmir remains a Union Territory under central rule. The lieutenant governor must first forward documents to Rashtrapati Bhavan and then to the Ministry of Home Affairs before the elected government can take charge. This procedure is expected to take two to three days.

Abdullah, who was elected from both Budgam and Ganderbal constituencies, emphasized that this is not a typical transfer of power, as it involves transitioning from central rule to an elected government. The region has been under governor's rule since 2018 when the BJP withdrew its support from then-Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, marking the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370.

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In the recent elections, the NC-Congress alliance secured 48 seats, while the BJP won 29. These elections, held in three phases, marked Jammu and Kashmir’s first assembly polls in a decade.