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‘Centre will work closely’: Narendra Modi's message to J&K CM Omar Abdullah
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday congratulated National Conference leader Omar Abdullah for being sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Modi took to social media platform X to extend his best wishes to Abdullah, who has taken office as the chief minister for a second term, and assured that the Union government will work closely with him.
"Congratulations to Shri Omar Abdullah Ji on taking oath as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Wishing him the very best in his efforts to serve the people. The Centre will work closely with him and his team for J&K's progress. @OmarAbdullah," Modi posted.
Omar Abdullah, 53, was sworn in by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha in a ceremony at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar. It is the first elected government in the region after its special status was revoked and the state was bifurcated into two Union territories.
Alongside Abdullah, five ministers also took the oath of office: Sakina Masood (Itoo) and Javed Dar from the Kashmir Valley, and Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary, and Satish Sharma from the Jammu region.
Also Read | No Congress face in Omar Abdullah cabinet in J&K. Who are the five ministers?
The Congress, a key alliance partner of the National Conference, opted not to join the council of ministers immediately, citing dissatisfaction with the Centre’s failure to restore full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir.
Among those present at Abdullah’s swearing-in were Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and Mallikarjun Kharge, along with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, Left leaders Prakash Karat and D Raja, DMK’s Kanimozhi, NCP’s Supriya Sule, and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti.
Abdullah’s family, including his father Farooq Abdullah, mother Molly Abdullah, and his two sisters and sons, also attended the ceremony.\
Rift with Congress?
Responding to speculation about a rift between the National Conference and Congress over the cabinet formation, Abdullah asserted that the alliance with Congress remains strong.
"No, why is not all well. If all is not well, why (Mallikarjun) Kharge (Congress president), Rahul (Gandhi) and other senior leaders of Congress would be coming here. Their presence here is indicative of the fact that the alliance is strong, and we will work for the people (of J&K)," he said.
