Pir Panjal celebrates induction of its local leaders as DyCM, minister in new J-K govt

Jammu, Oct 16: Hundreds of joyous National Conference supporters celebrated on streets in the border districts of Rajouri, and Poonch, known as the Pir Panjal belt, after the induction of two local leaders -- Surinder Kumar Choudhary as Deputy Chief Minister and Javed Rana as a minister -- in the Omar Abdullah-led government in Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

Abdullah took oath as the chief minister of the first elected government in the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Choudhary, who defeated BJP's J-K unit chief Ravinder Raina in Nowshera in Rajouri district, and Rana, representing Mendhar in Poonch district, were among the four victorious NC candidates in the Pir Panjal belt. The NC-Congress alliance secured five of the eight seats in the region.

As the two leaders took oath in Srinagar, NC supporters were on the streets in Nowshera, Mendhar and other areas celebrating with traditional drumming and dancing.

In Nowshera, Choudhary's hometown, NC cadres distributed sweets and raised slogans in support of NC and Abdullahs.

Locals expressed gratitude to the National Conference for appointing Choudhary as Deputy Chief Minister.

Bunty Singh, an NC worker from Nowshera, said, "We congratulate the people of Jammu and Kashmir, particularly the Jammu region, on Surinder Choudhary Ji's oath as Deputy Chief Minister. We are deeply grateful to Dr Farooq Abdullah Sahib and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Ji for this gift to the region."

Singh said that Choudhary's victory over BJP's Ravinder Raina was significant. "Despite the BJP's full backing from the Prime Minister and Home Minister, and all efforts to secure the seat, it was the people's support that ensured NC's win with Surinder Ji."

Sarfaraz Ahmed, who says he campaigned extensively for Choudhary, said that the people's support led to Choudhary's success and that the NC rewarded him with a key post in recognition of his win.

"The NC will now work for the development of the region, which has been neglected for the past 10 years," he said.

Surinder Kumar Choudhary, 56, who joined NC at the age of 27, had previously been an MLC during the PDP government.

Choudhary, once a close confidant of PDP president Mehbooba Mufti, left the party in 2021 and briefly joined the BJP in 2022 before rejoining NC in July 2023.

He defeated BJP's Ravinder Raina by a margin of 7,819 votes in the Nowshera constituency of Rajouri district in the 2024 elections. Choudhary polled 35,069 votes, while Raina secured 27,250.

Choudhary expressed gratitude to the NC leadership, saying, "It is a matter of pride for the Pir Panjal, especially my constituency Nowshera. I deeply thank Dr Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah for their trust. I have no words to express my gratitude."

In 2014, Raina had defeated Choudhary, then a member of the PDP, by a margin of 9,503 votes, but Choudhary’s return to NC marked his resurgence in this election.

Javed Rana, 61, who has represented Mendhar since 2002 and was re-elected for the third time, also took the oath as one of the four ministers.

Rana defeated Murtaza Ahmed Khan of the BJP by a margin of 14,906 votes. In addition to his tenure as MLA, Rana has also served as an MLC.

Scores of people thronged the house of Rana in Mendhar to celebrate his induction into the J-K ministry.