The Congress party has decided not to participate in the upcoming cabinet of Omar Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir, opting instead to extend support from outside. This decision comes just ahead of Abdullah’s swearing-in ceremony as Chief Minister, marking a significant moment in the political landscape of the region.
The Congress and National Conference (NC) formed a pre-poll alliance to contest the recent elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which were held for the first time in a decade. Following the elections, Congress officially announced its support for the NC’s government formation after a meeting of its legislature party members. The NC emerged as the single largest party in the assembly polls, winning 42 of the 90 seats. With support from four Independents, the NC secured a total of 46 seats, establishing a comfortable majority even without Congress’s backing.
On Friday, Omar Abdullah and his coalition partners met with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to stake their claim to form the government. During this meeting, Abdullah presented letters of support from his coalition partners, which include CPI (M), AAP, and four Independents alongside Congress. He also requested that the Lieutenant Governor set a date for the oath-taking ceremony so that the new government could begin its work.
In the recent assembly elections, which concluded earlier this month, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) finished second with 29 seats, followed by Congress with 6 seats and Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP with 3 seats. The remaining seats were won by Sajad Lone’s People Conference, AAP, CPI(M), and several Independents.
As for the upcoming oath-taking ceremony scheduled for Wednesday, several key figures are expected to take their oaths alongside Omar Abdullah. These include Skina Itoo, Ali Mohammed Sagar, Hasnain Masoodi, Javed Rana, Saifullah Mir, and Surinder Choudhary as cabinet ministers.
This decision by Congress not to join the cabinet raises questions about its role in the new government and its relationship with the National Conference moving forward. While they will support from outside, it remains to be seen how this arrangement will impact governance in Jammu and Kashmir.
The political dynamics in Jammu and Kashmir are evolving rapidly following these elections. With Abdullah returning as Chief Minister for the first time since Article 370 was abrogated, stakeholders will be closely watching how this coalition navigates its responsibilities amidst varying expectations from its constituents.
