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NC leader Omar Abdullah stakes claim for govt formation
Earlier Congress held its legislature party meeting and handed over their letter of support to Omar for formation of the new government in the UT
After getting letter of support from another two elected MLAs on Friday, NC legislature party leader Omar Abdullah met lieutenant governor (L-G) Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhawan and staked claim to form the government. He handed over letter of support from a total of 55 newly elected legislators.
Omar could take oath on Wednesday after completion of documentation by the Raj Bhawan.
Earlier Congress held its legislature party meeting and handed over their letter of support to Omar for formation of the new government in the UT.
After meeting the governor, Omar said he had a meeting with Sinha and he handed him letter of support from NC, the Congress, CPI(M), AAP and Independent MLAs, adding, “I requested him (L-G) to fix the date for swearing in ceremony, so that elected government of people can start working.”
On being asked about the oath taking, Omar said it’s a long process. “It is central rule in J&K and governor has to prepare documents which will be sent to Rashtrapati Bhawan and then to the Union home ministry. We have been conveyed that it will take two to three days to complete this process. And if this process gets completed within two to three days, hopefully oath can be taken on Wednesday.”
Omar said that he has been already engaged in discussion with the Congress. “We are already discussing issues with Congress leadership. Today they handed over letter of support to us.”
Congress has six elected legislators in the 90-member assembly. NC and the Congress had contested assembly elections as the coalition partners jointly along with CPI(M) and Panthers party. CPI(M) also secured one seat.
On Thursday, the NC achieved a majority after four independent MLAs, all from Jammu region, extended support to the party. They were, Dr Rameshwar Singh from Bani in Kathua district, Choudhary Mohammed Akram from Surankote in Poonch district, Satish Sharma from Chhamb in Jammu district and Pyare Lal Sharma from Inderwal in Kishtwar district.
Meanwhile, Independent MLA from Thanamandi and AAP MLA from Doda handed him letter of support on Friday.
Five Independent legislators and AAP’s lone assembly member from Doda gave a letter of support to Omar taking the number of legislators to 55.
On Thursday, Omar was elected as the head of the NC.
Governance model to be discussed later: Karra
Congress J&K president Tariq Hameed Karra, along with senior party leaders, handed a letter of support to Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar house.
Earlier the Congress legislators meeting was held at the party office in Srinagar and was chaired by Karra . The meeting was attended by all six Congress legislators who got elected in the recently held assembly elections.
Congress J&K president said, “In the meeting it was decided that party high command will take a call on who will be the CLP leader of Congress in J&K.” He said that they had prepared the document of support for government formation. “We prepared two documents in the meeting today. One was sent to the party high command in Delhi which is a precedent in the Congress and another document was given to the NC leadership,” he added.
Last night, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had called NC president Farooq Abdullah to discuss the formation of the new government in J&K.
Karra said that the governance model in J&K will be discussed later. “Once we sit with NC, the governance model will be discussed then,” he said, adding that the spirit of this alliance is much higher than the number game. “The spirit is different. It’s pan India spirit. In Jammu and Kashmir it was confined to J&K, it has utility for the entire India. This isn’t an issue of number game or ministerial berths. This is a fight with the BJP and to safeguard the country, the unanimity and ideological capability is mandatory,” he said.
National Conference president Farooq Abdullah had in the afternoon said that they will meet L-G Sinha tomorrow. “The L-G is coming. We will go there to meet him with a letter of support from elected legislators. We will seek a date form him for the swearing in ceremony so that we inform our friends to attend the ceremony.”
Sources said besides chief minister, the new government will include eight council of ministers, speaker and deputy speaker.
Omar Abdullah is already in discussion with coalition partners and other party leaders for giving proper representation to both the regions of J&K.
AAP MLA hands letter in support of NC to L-G
The only Aam Aadmi MLA from Jammu and Kashmir--Mehraj Malik from Doda assembly constituency-- officially announced his support for the National Conference on Friday.
The AAP has submitted a formal letter of support for the NC to the lieutenant governor’s office.
“Mehraj Malik, the newly elected MLA from Doda assembly constituency, with the consent of the party leadership, has submitted the letter of support to the LG’s office,” confirmed a close aide of Malik over phone.
Jammu and Kashmir AAP spokesperson Muddasir Hassan said, “ Aam Aadmi Party extends its support to the @JKNC_ standing united to keep the BJP away. We hope that NC will respect the mandate given by the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Aam Aadmi Party president and former Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal will address a rally in Doda on Sunday. “I express my gratitude to the people of Doda for electing my younger brother Mehraj. He is a very humble human being. Though I intended to come to Doda on October 10, since model code of conduct was not lifted, I had to return from the airport. This Sunday, I along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Singh Mann will be there in Doda,” he said in a video message posted on ‘X’.
Omar felicitates Independent MLA from Thanamandi
On Friday, another Independent MLA from Jammu division extended his support to the National Conference, thus taking its strength in the 90-member assembly.
Muzaffar Iqbal Khan, a former judge, won the recent assembly elections from Thanamandi constituency in Rajouri district.
“Thanamandi winning candidate Muzaffar Iqbal Khan officially extended his support to JKNC today. He was felicitated by the VP & JKNC chief ministerial candidate Omar Abdullah at Gupkar,” the party said on its handle on ‘X’.
