New Delhi: The Congress will not be part of the new Jammu and Kashmir government – despite having allied with Chief Minister-elect Omar Abdullah’s National Conference to win last month’s election – sources told NDTV on Wednesday morning.
The party – which sources said also declined the offer of one ministerial berth in the incoming government – will offer support from the outside instead.
However, three senior leaders – Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge; Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition the Lok Sabha; and the party’s General Secretary, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra – will attend the swearing-in, which will also see eight ministers (the maximum allowed) take oath with Mr Abdullah.
Omar Abdullah will be sworn in as the new Chief Minister – Jammu and Kashmir’s first elected head of state in a decade – after guiding his party to victory in the September-October election.
Speaking after his election win, Mr Abdullah had underlined a key expectation of his government – the restoration of J&K’s statehood that was revoked after Article 370 was scrapped in August 2019.
“We have a lot to do. We have to give people the hope… that this is their government, and they will be heard. They were not heard for the past five-six years, and it will be our responsibility to listen and act on (their concerns) …” Mr Abdullah, who contested and won the Budgam and Ganderbal seats, said.
The NC dominated the election, winning 42 of the former state’s 90 elected seats. The Congress – expected to do well – flopped, winning only six seats; it won 12 in the 2014 election.
This meant the Kashmiri party claimed ‘big brother’ status in the alliance and could name the Chief Minister; NC patriarch Farooq Abdullah, Omar Abdullah’s father, quickly named his son.
The NC’s hand was further strengthened by four independents and the lone Aam Aadmi Party legislator also offering support – to the party and not its alliance with the Congress.
(NDTV)
