National Conference (NC) vice-president Omar Abdullah on Friday visited Lt Governor Manoj Sinha at Raj Bhavan and staked claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
"I met the LG and handed over letters of support that I have received from the Congress, the CPI-M, the AAP and the Independents. I requested him to fix a date for the swearing-in ceremony so that the government can start functioning. It will be a long process as there is Central rule here. The LG will first send the documents to Rashtrapati Bhawan and then to Home Ministry. We have been told it will take 2-3 days. So if it happens before Tuesday, we will have the swearing-in ceremony on Wednesday. All I want to say is that Jammu will not be ignored in this government," he said after the meeting.
The NC legislature party, on Thursday, elected Omar Abdullah as the legislature party leader.
Former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, before leaving for the Raj Bhavan, told reporters: "We hope that the NC-Congress alliance will get time so that we can inform friends to attend the swearing-in ceremony."
He said the NC-Congress alliance will surely win the hearts of the people and "overcome the false propaganda that is being spread that Jammu is left out of power-sharing in J&K".
"It is not their fault. They were fed that stone pelting would begin and terrorism would rise, but they did not realize that their jobs have been taken, their lands have been taken. Everything has disappeared, but they still fell for the propaganda," Omar Abdullah said.
He said he wants all the people of J&K to live in prosperity and there are many problems that the people of Jammu and the Kashmir Valley have to face together. He said to solve the problems of the people, he needs cooperation from the Centre.
Calling J&K the crown of the country, he said if the crown does not shine, how would the country shine?
"Statehood should be restored so that the government can work," he said. He admitted that there are apprehensions that the government in a Union Territory setup might have limited powers.
"That is why we are seeking restoration of statehood so that the government is able to work."
Omar Abdullah said there were no differences with the alliance partner Congress on the government formation.
The NC-Congress alliance includes the CPI-M which has won a lone seat in the assembly elections. In related developments, the independent candidate from Mendhar, Muzaffar Iqbal Khan also declared he would support the NC government.
Of the 7 Independent candidates who emerged victorious in the Assembly election, five now choose to endorse Omar Abdullah for the post of Chief Minister. These are Pyare Lal Sharma, Satish Sharma, Mohammad Akram Choudhary, and Dr Rameshwar Singh apart from Muzaffar Iqbal Khan.
The Aam Aadmi Party's (AAP) sole winner from the Doda Assembly constituency, Mehraj Malik has also announced it would endorse the NC.
The NC has 42 members, along with its allies Congress and CPI-M, six and one, respectively. The BJP has 29, the PDP three, the AAP and the Peoples Conference one each, apart from the seven Independents. While 90 members of the Assembly were elected, 5 members are to be nominated by the Lt Governor on the recommendation of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs. Under the J&K Reorganisation Act 2019 read with the J&K Reorganisation Amendment Act 2013, all five nominated members have a right to vote in forming the government.
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