National Conference leader Omar Abdullah on Friday met Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and staked claim to form the new government in the Union territory.
Abdullah, a former chief minister, told reporters that he had handed Sinha the letters of support he had received from the Congress, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), the Aam Aadmi Party and some Independents.
The National Conference vice-president did not announce the date he will be sworn-in as the chief minister. The shift from the president’s rule in the Union territory to the new government taking charge will involve a long procedure, he said.
The party said in a social media post on Friday night that the Raj Bhawan had informed Abdullah that the procedure for the revocation of the president’s rule in Jammu and Kashmir “commenced tonight and is expected to take 3-4 days”.
Abdullah, while talking to reporters, hinted that the swearing-in ceremony could take place next week.
Also read: Behind the National Conference’s resurgence, the judgement of the Kashmiri voter
Abdullah was on Thursday elected as the leader of the National Conference legislature party, paving the way for him to stake claim to become the chief minister.
The recent Assembly election was the first in Jammu and Kashmir in 10 years, and the first since the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution in August 2019. Article 370 gave special status to the erstwhile state.
The Centre in August 2019 also bifurcated the state into two Union territories: Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh. Since then, the Union territory has been administered by the lieutenant governor, on behalf of the president.
While the National Conference won 42 out of the 90 seats contested, the Congress clinched six. Their ally, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), won one seat.
The Assembly has a strength of 119 members. While elections took place in 90 constituencies, 24 additional seats have been designated for areas in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir. The lieutenant governor has the power to appoint five members. A party or an alliance needs 48 seats for a majority when the House has 95 members.
The Aam Aadmi Party, which bagged its first Assembly seat in Jammu and Kashmir with a win in the Doda constituency, also extended its support to the National Congress-Congress coalition on Friday.
At the national level, all four parties are part of the Opposition INDIA bloc, which was formed to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance at the Centre.
Also read: Why new J&K government will be stunted – no matter who wins
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