Omar Abdullah swearing-in ceremony: National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Wednesday took oath as the first chief minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir after the NC-Congress alliance won the maiden assembly elections held after the abrogation of Article 370. The oath of office and secrecy was administered to Abdullah's chosen ministers by J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha at 11.30 am at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC).
Invitations to attend the oath ceremony were sent to the constituents of the INDIA bloc. Among those who had gathered at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) were Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and Mallikarjun Kharge, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Left leaders Prakash Karat and D Raja, DMK's Kanimozhi and NCP's Supriya Sule. PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti also attended the event. However, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin will not be attending the swearing-in owing to the IMD issuing a 'red alert' due to the northeast monsoon. Omar Abdullah's family, including his father Farooq Abdullah, mother Molly Abdullah, his two sisters, and two sons were present on the occasion.
Omar Abdullah first term, from 2009 to 2014 when Jammu and Kashmir was a full-fledged state, was also under an NC-Congress coalition government.
The NC won 42 out of the 90 seats which went to poll in the recent elections, while the Congress won six. Together, the two pre-poll allies hold a majority in the 95-member assembly — five members are to be nominated by the LG. Their strength is further bolstered by the support from five Independent MLAs-elect and a lone AAP MLA-elect.
