“Looking forward to work together with you”: Omar Abdullah replies to congratulatory messages of PM Modi, Rajnath, others

Srinagar, Oct 16: After assuming the office of Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah Wednesday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his congratulatory message, saying the J&K looks forward to working together with you to give people of the region an effective, efficient and honest administration.

Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday amid tight security, following his National Conference party’s victory in the recent elections.

The oath-taking ceremony took place at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC), with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha administering the oath to Abdullah and his council of ministers.

“Thank you very much @narendramodi Sb for your message of congratulations. My colleagues & I look forward to working together with you to give the people of J&K an effective, efficient & honest administration,” Omar in a post on X replied to PM Modi’s congratulatory message.

Omar also expressed gratitude to Defence Minister Rajnath Singh for extending best wishes to new government formation in Jammu & Kashmir.

The CM said he will do his best to live up to the expectations of the people of Jammu & Kashmir.

Taking to micro-blogging site X (formerly twitter) the J&K CM Omar Abdullah said: “Thank you very much @rajnathsingh Sb. My colleagues & I will do our best to live up to the expectations of the people of J&K. We look forward to working together with you in the weeks & years ahead for the progress of J&K”.

Omar also thanked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for joining the oath ceremony in Srinagar. He said the people of J&K are looking towards you for continued support in getting statehood back to the region.

"Thank you very much @RahulGandhi & thank you for joining us today. The people of J&K look towards you for your continued support as we work to get our statehood back. Your presence today along with @priyankagandhi gave us a lot of encouragement & the family was really happy to get to spend some time with both of you," Omar Abdullah in a post on X said.

While responding to founder Chairperson All India Trinamol Congress and Chief Minister West Bengal Mamata Banerjee, Omar Abdullah said he looks forward to your continued support as new government in J&K will work to fulfill the mandate it was given.

“Thank you very much @MamataOfficial didi. The people of J&K are the rightful claimants of the credit for the revival of democracy here. I look forward to your continued support as my government works to fulfil the mandate we were given,” Omar replied on X.

Notably NC leaders Javed Dar, Sakeena Ittoo, Javed Rana, Surender Singh Choudhary, and Satish Sharma Chamb took oath as cabinet minister of Jammu and Kashmir today.

Attending the ceremony were key political figures, including Rahul Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, and party general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who arrived at SKICC to witness the event.

Besides all National Conference leaders were present at the oath-taking ceremony to support Omar Abdullah as he took the oath as Chief Minister.

Jammu and Kashmir will have an elected government for the first time in 10 years after the state assembly was dissolved in 2018.

In J&K’s 90 assembly seats, the NC and Congress have won in 48, the BJP in 29, and the PDP in three. AAP’s Mehraj Malik has handed the Arvind Kejriwal-led party its first-ever electoral win in Jammu and Kashmir.