L-G invites Omar to take oath tomorrow

With President Droupadi Murmu revoking President’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir on Sunday night, oath-taking ceremony of the new government will be held in Srinagar on Wednesday.

“Was pleased to receive the Principal Secretary to L-G Manoj Sinha. He handed over a letter from the @OfficeOfLGJandK inviting me to form the next government in J&K,” Omar Abdullah wrote on X on Monday evening.

According to the letter handed over to Omar, the oath ceremony will be held at Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre at 11.30 am on Wednesday in Srinagar.

In a letter to Omar, the L-G said: “I have received a letter of October 11 from Farooq Abdullah, president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference, wherein it has been informed that you have been unanimously elected as Leader of the Legislature Party.”

The L-G said he also received a letter from Tariq Hameed Karra, president, J&K Pradesh Congress Committee, GN Malik, secretary, CPI(M), Pankaj Kumar Gupta, national secretary, Aam Aadmi Party, and Independent MLAs namely Payare Lal Sharma, Satish Sharma, Ch. Mohd Akram, Dr Rameshwar Singh and Muzafar Iqbal Khan extending their support in the formation of government led by you.

“I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the government of Jammu and Kashmir,” the L-G said.

“As separately settled, I will administer Oath of Office and Secrecy to you, and to those recommended by you for induction as members of your Council of Ministers,” Sinha said.

“I take this opportunity to wish you a highly productive tenure and success in your endeavours in the best interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir,” the letter further said.

Sources told The Tribune that senior high-level opposition leaders are expected to participate in the oath-taking ceremony.

The NC-Congress alliance last week staked claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir as Chief Minister-designate Omar Abdullah called on Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha and he submitted a letter of support.

Earlier, Omar was unanimously elected as the leader of the NC legislature party on Thursday, while Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee president Tariq Hameed Karra and other leaders extended the support to the NC.

The NC, which had fought the elections in an alliance with the Congress and the CPM, secured 49 seats in the 90-member House. On Thursday, four Independents also extended their support, taking the total number of seats to 53. The NC, which emerged as the single largest party with 42 legislators, with the help of four Independents, reached the magic mark of 46.

The J&K unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) also extended support to the NC even as the party has only one MLA who won from the Doda Assembly constituency.

NC-Cong alliance staked claim last week

The NC-Congress alliance last week staked claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir as Chief Minister-designate Omar Abdullah called on Lieutenant-Governor Manoj Sinha and he submitted a letter of support.