Rahul Gandhi Congratulates Omar Abdullah on Historic Appointment as J&K Chief Minister
Mumbai, 17th October 2024: Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, congratulated NC leader Omar Abdullah on his appointment as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, signifying the first elected government since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019.
While acknowledging the significance of the new government, Gandhi expressed dissatisfaction over the absence of statehood for Jammu and Kashmir, stating that “the formation of government without statehood feels incomplete.” He reiterated his belief that democracy has been “snatched” from the people and pledged to continue advocating for the restoration of statehood. “Today, we reaffirm our commitment to fight until statehood is fully restored,” he wrote in a post while congratulating Abdullah.
Omar Abdullah responded to Gandhi’s message, thanking him and Priyanka Gandhi for their support at the inauguration event. He noted, “The people of J&K look towards you for your continued support as we work to regain our statehood. Your presence, along with Priyanka Gandhi, brought us much encouragement, and the family was delighted to spend time with both of you.”
The Congress Party has expressed discontent over the lack of restored statehood, with JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra stating earlier in the day, “Statehood has not been restored to J&K. We are unhappy, which is why we are not joining the ministry at this time.”
Similarly, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra congratulated Omar Abdullah and his new cabinet on X, expressing commitment to work alongside the INDIA coalition to advocate for the restoration of rights in Jammu and Kashmir. “Congratulations to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and all cabinet members. Thank you to the people of Jammu and Kashmir for raising the voice of justice and democracy through your votes. Best wishes for the future,” she posted.
She added that the ‘INDIA’ coalition government would work diligently to restore the rights of the people and fulfil promises made regarding statehood.
The Congress Party’s decision to abstain from joining the cabinet has led to speculation about tensions between the NC and Congress; however, Omar Abdullah dismissed these claims. He clarified that while Congress has opted not to join the cabinet immediately, discussions are ongoing regarding ministerial positions. “Congress is not out of the cabinet. It’s their decision, and we are in talks with them. I will not fill all nine vacancies in the Council of Ministers; some will remain open as we continue discussions. Everything is fine between NC and Congress; otherwise, Kharge ji, Rahul ji, and senior Congress leaders wouldn’t be here. Their presence signifies a strong alliance, and we will work for the people of the state,” Abdullah stated.
The swearing-in ceremony for the new chief minister was attended by several prominent leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Kharge, Farooq Abdullah, Akhilesh Yadav, Mehbooba Mufti, Sanjay Singh, and D Raja. This event marked the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir following the revocation of Article 370 and the subsequent reorganization of the former state into two Union Territories. The NC-Congress alliance won the recent assembly elections, securing 48 seats, with the National Conference obtaining 42 seats and Congress winning six.
