Omar Abdullah set to take oath as Chief Minister today

Srinagar, Oct 15: Omar Abdullah will be sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory on Wednesday, following the sweeping victory of his party National Conference (NC) in the first assembly elections since the abrogation of Article 370.

The oath-taking ceremony is scheduled to be held at the Sher-e-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar at 11:30 am, where Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha will administer the Oath of Office and Secrecy to Omar and his Council of Ministers (CoM).

Omar’s swearing-in comes after the National Conference secured 42 out of 90 assembly seats in the recently held elections.

The Congress, NC’s pre-poll ally, won six seats, giving the alliance a comfortable majority in the 95-member assembly (five members are to be nominated by the LG).

Omar has also received the backing of several other parties, including the CPI (M), Aam Aadmi Party, and independent legislators, further solidifying his leadership.

Some VVIPs including senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, besides former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav are attending the ceremony.

Security has been heightened around SKICC, given the presence of several high-profile attendees, including political leaders and other VVIPs.

“Security has been beefed up, especially for the smooth conduct of the event,” an official said. Additionally, coordination is being ensured to manage the influx of dignitaries, including those arriving on special flights.

The ceremony will see the attendance of prominent leaders from across the country.

Invitations have been sent to key members of the opposition INDIA bloc.

Senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and party president Mallikarjun Kharge, are set to arrive in Srinagar on Wednesday morning via a special flight.

Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav has already reached Kashmir, while confirmations from other top leaders are expected later.

“Rahul ji and Kharge JI will arrive in Srinagar on Wednesday morning in a special flight,” JKKPCC, J&K President, Tariq Hamid Karra told Greater Kashmir.

Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav arrived in Kashmir on Tuesday afternoon to attend the ceremony.

Sources said that Kanimozhi Karunanidhi from DMK, Supriya Sule from Sharad Pawar’s NCP, and Shiromani Akali Dal’s Sukhbir Singh Badal are also likely to attend the event.

On Monday, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha formally invited Omar to form the government.

In his letter, the LG said that he had received a communication from NC President Farooq Abdullah, confirming Omar’s unanimous election as the leader of the NC Legislature Party and support from other party leaders including Congress’ Tariq Hamid Karra, CPI(M)’s Ghulam Nabi Malik, and AAP’s Pankaj Kumar Gupta.

This marks Omar’s second stint as J&K Chief Minister.

His first term, from 2009 to 2014, was during J&K’s full-fledged status of a state, under a coalition government with the Congress.

The oath ceremony symbolises not only his political return but also a significant moment in the post-Article 370 era.

With the end of the President’s rule and Omar’s unanimous election as the leader of the NC’s Legislature Party, preparations are in full swing for the formation of the new government, which will have the task of navigating J&K’s political and developmental trajectory under the new constitutional framework.