Day after win, NC vice-president Omar Abdullah assures J&K of inclusive govt 

A day after the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance won a majority in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, the former’s vice-president Omar Abdullah promised an inclusive government for the UT. The leader added that he would want the assembly’s first business to be passing a resolution for restoration of statehood.

Abdullah, who is expected to be the new chief minister (CM), said NC will hold a legislative party meeting on Thursday followed by talks with allies, the Congress and CPI(M), to decide on the leader of the alliance and government formation.

The leader said the new government will work on two fronts, adding, “Whichever CM is sworn in in the next few days, obviously there will be two sets of priorities, one is legislative that will be determined by members of legislative assembly when the session is called and the other is government related,” he said.

Speaking about a resolution for restoration of statehood, Abdullah said, “My own word of advice to the incoming government would be that the first business of the cabinet should be to pass a resolution asking for statehood to be restored to Jammu and Kashmir and chief minister should travel to Delhi with that resolution, call on the senior leadership of the country and ask them to fulfil their promise.”

“It is the Prime Minister, home minister and others who have promised the people of statehood. Nowhere did they say that the statehood will be restored to a BJP government or to a government with BJP members,” he said.

The NC legislators would be sitting down on Thursday for a meeting on government formation. “First and foremost, wait for the legislative party meeting. Subsequently, there will obviously be an alliance meeting which will decide on the leader of the alliance. The leader of the alliance will then assume the letters of support and go to Raj Bhawan to stake a claim and request the lieutenant governor (L-G) to fix the date for swearing in,” he told reporters in Srinagar.

“I would like that to happen as soon as possible because we have been without an elected government since 2018. Time has come when we get back to work,” he said.

Karra meets Omar, Farooq

AICC in-charge of Jammu and Kashmir, Bharat Solanki, and Congress’ local unit chief Tariq Hameed Karra met Farooq and Omar at their Gupkar residence in Srinagar on Wednesday.

Karra said they had come to congratulate the father-son duo and there was no talk of government formation yet. “That will happen after they hold their legislative party meeting and then they will talk to alliance partners and discuss letters of support and other things,” he said.

Omar has maintained that a decision will be taken by the alliance. “It is a decision for the legislators and alliance to make. I love my father greatly and I am grateful for the support that he has shown me but finally the say has to be of the legislators and I am always one to do things by the rules and by the book,” he said.

Sense of ownership for Jammu

Abdullah reiterated that the new government will be for everybody. “I am also acutely aware of the fact that there is a sharp divide between Kashmir and Jammu. Therefore, the incoming government will have a major responsibility of giving a sense of ownership to the people of Jammu. The government that comes in the next few days will not be the government of NC, of alliance or those that vote for us. It will be a government of every single individual of J&K regardless of who they voted for or whether they voted at all,” he said.

He asserted that special emphasis will be placed on giving a “sense of ownership” and a “voice” in the government to those areas from which MLAs in this coalition will be less in number.

‘Will continue work on

restoration of Article 370’

Omar said his party will continue to work for restoration of Article 370. “Our political stance won’t change. We never said that we will be silent on Article 370 but we won’t make a fool of people. I have repeatedly said to hope for the return of Article 370 from those who snatched it is foolishness and deceiving people. But we will keep this issue alive and hope the government and system changes in the country, and attain something for Jammu and Kashmir by talking to that government,” he said.

The election results on Tuesday gave a huge lead to the NC with 42 seats and six to its alliance partner, the Congress and also one to CPI(M), in the 90-member assembly. The BJP emerged dominant in the Jammu region with 29 seats.

This will be the first elected government after 2018 when governor’s rule was imposed in J&K after the BJP withdrew its support from then chief minister Mehbooba Mufti. This is also going to be the first elected government post-abrogation of Article 370 and delimitation of seats in Jammu and Kashmir.

What I decided will happen: Farooq on CM pick

National Conference president Farooq Abdullah said whatever he has decided will happen while reacting to Omar Abdullah’s statement that the decision on the next chief minister will be taken by the alliance.

“Whatever I have decided, only that will happen (for Omar Abdullah),” Farooq Abdullah told reporters when asked about his and Omar’s statements on CM post. Abdullah had earlier said that Omar will be the next CM.

Omar, however, said he was humbled by people’s verdict and aware of the responsibility that this mandate places on him, adding, “The people of J&K have voted and made their voices heard. They want the process of governance, feel of the decision process and it is our responsibility to carry them along with us. The people of J&K have gone unheard since 2018.”

Farooq said the new government will have to gain the trust of Hindus of Jammu majority of which didn’t vote for NC and will not discriminate.

“We have to reduce the difference which has been created between Jammu and Kashmir divisions. We have to gain the trust of Hindus there (in Jammu) that we will think the same about what we want for Kashmir. We won’t discriminate irrespective of the fact they didn’t vote for us. Our responsibility is to placate their difficulties,” he said.

He said the biggest governance-related challenge for the government would be price rise and unemployment, adding, “Our educated youth are without jobs. We have to find jobs for them.”