Congress To Sit Out Of J&K Govt Despite Alliance During Recent Polls; Omar Abdullah To Take Oath As CM Shortly

Srinagar: The Congress will not be a part of the new Jammu and Kashmir government, despite having allied with Omar Abdullah's National Conference (NC) to win the recent elections, said reports on Wednesday morning. Instead, the Congress has opted to provide external support to the NC-led government.

This decision includes declining an offer of one ministerial berth in the incoming government. However, less than an hour later, Omar Abdullah mentioned that the NC is still "in talks" with Congress regarding its status within the government, reported NDTV.

Regardless of the outcome of these talks, three senior Congress leaders, Mallikarjun Kharge, the party president; Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha; and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, General Secretary are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony. The ceremony may also see eight ministers taking the oath alongside Omar Abdullah.

Prominent INDIA Bloc Leaders To Attend Swearing-In Ceremony

Leaders from other political parties aligned with the INDIA bloc, such as Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, and DMK leader MK Stalin, have been invited to attend the event. Additionally, Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar, Congress' allies in the upcoming Maharashtra elections, are also expected to be present.

Omar Abdullah is set to become the new Chief Minister, making him Jammu and Kashmir's first elected head of government in over a decade. He led his party to a resounding victory in the September-October elections, positioning the NC as the dominant force in the region's political landscape. After his win, Abdullah emphasized a significant objective for his administration, the restoration of Jammu and Kashmir's statehood, which had been revoked after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

Speaking to ANI on the morning of the swearing-in, Abdullah highlighted his priorities, saying "We have a lot to do. We have to give people hope... that this is their government, and they will be heard. They were not heard for the past five-six years."

NC's Comeback In J&K Assembly Polls

Abdullah's election triumph marked a notable comeback after he lost a Lok Sabha seat contest in Baramulla, north Kashmir, just months earlier. This time, he won the Budgam and Ganderbal Assembly seats. The NC's dominance in the Assembly election was evident as it secured 42 of the 90 elected seats. The Congress, meanwhile, underperformed, winning only six seats, compared to 12 in the 2014 elections.

This victory gave the NC the upper hand in its alliance with Congress, allowing them to name Omar Abdullah as the Chief Minister. The NC’s position was further strengthened by support from four independents and the lone Aam Aadmi Party legislator.