In a significant development for the National Conference (NC) in Jammu and Kashmir, four independent MLAs extended their support to Omar Abdullah’s party on Thursday. This has enabled the NC to reach the majority mark in the 90-member assembly without requiring support from the Congress party.
With this added support, the NC now commands the backing of 46 lawmakers, surpassing the majority threshold. Consequently, Omar Abdullah no longer needs Congress’s support to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
### Omar Abdullah Elected Leader of the Legislature Party
Omar Abdullah is set to be the new Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir after being unanimously elected as the leader of the NC legislature party. The decision was taken during a meeting held at the NC headquarters located in the ‘Nawa-e-Subha’ complex in Srinagar on Thursday.
Speaking to the media after the meeting, JKNC Vice President Omar Abdullah announced,
“I have been elected as the leader of the Legislature Party. I express my gratitude to the MLAs. Talks are ongoing to obtain a letter of support from Congress. Four independent MLAs have also extended their support to the National Conference. Now the number of NC members stands at 42, plus the 4 independent MLAs. After receiving the letter from Congress, we will go to the Raj Bhavan to stake claim to form the government.”
The meeting was attended by NC President Dr Farooq Abdullah, Vice President Omar Abdullah, senior party leaders, and recently elected MLAs. Farooq Abdullah had already indicated immediately after the election results were announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) that Omar Abdullah would become the new Chief Minister of J&K.
### Priority to Restore Statehood
Omar Abdullah emphasized that the first task of the new J&K cabinet would be to pass a resolution demanding the restoration of statehood to the Union Territory.
“It should be the first business of the cabinet to pass a resolution asking the Centre to restore statehood to J&K. The Chief Minister should then travel to Delhi with the resolution and request the government to restore our statehood,” he said.
Abdullah added that this promise had been made by the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and other leaders.
“Nowhere did they state that statehood would be restored only to a government that includes BJP members,” he remarked.
The NC leader also reiterated that the party would never abandon its demand for the restoration of Article 370, which granted special autonomy to Jammu and Kashmir.
“Our stand on this will never change,” he asserted.
### Omar Abdullah’s Political Journey
This will be Omar Abdullah’s second term as Chief Minister. He was first elected in 2009 at the age of 38, becoming the Chief Minister of the J&K state. Now, he will assume office as the Chief Minister of the J&K Union Territory.
### Election Results Snapshot
The 98-member J&K Legislative Assembly results are as follows:
– National Conference (NC): 42 seats
– Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP): 29 seats
– Congress: 6 seats
– Peoples Democratic Party (PDP): 3 seats
– Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]: 1 seat
– Peoples Conference: 1 seat
– Aam Aadmi Party (AAP): 1 seat
– Independents: 7 seats
Additionally, the Lieutenant Governor will nominate five members based on recommendations from the Union Ministry of Home Affairs.
With a clear majority, the National Conference is poised to form the government, with Omar Abdullah as the Chief Minister, focusing on promises such as the restoration of statehood and Article 370.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/omar-abdullahs-nc-gets-support-of-4-independent-mlas-reaches-majority-mark-without-congress