Srinagar- Omar Abdullah was on Thursday unanimously elected as a leader of the 46-member National Conference Legislature Party, in preparation to stake a claim for government formation in Jammu and Kashmir.
The 46 lawmakers, including four independents who extended their support to the National Conference, attended the Legislature Party meeting, co-chaired by NC President Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Vice President Omar Abdullah at Nawai-Subh here.
“A meeting of the legislature party was held where everyone unanimously chose Omar Abdullah as its leader,” Farooq Abdullah said.
Awaiting letter of endorsement from the Congress, Omar Abdullah said he will stake claim for the government formation at Rajbhawan as soon as he receives support from the coalition partner.
“Once the Congress extends its support, I will move to Rajbhawan and meet with the Lieutenant Governor to stake claim for the government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. Since talks are on with the Congress at the moment, we have given them a day to finish the formalities,” Omar told reporters after the LP meeting.
Omar also extended his heartfelt gratitude to all the members of the NC Legislature Party for unanimously electing him as their leader.
“You might be aware of the decision that was taken. NC’s Legislative Party meeting was held today and all the members of the LP elected me as their leader. I am highly grateful to every NC legislator who trusted me and provided me with an opportunity to visit the Rajbhawan and meet with the LG in order to stake claim for the government formation, he added.
Earlier, Dr. Farooq Abdullah, the president of the NC, asserted that they will meet with the Congress tomorrow to decide on the CM candidate and the government formation tomorrow.
“We won’t wait to stake claim for the formation of the government and deciding on a Chief Ministerial candidate. The alliance meeting is scheduled for tomorrow, and all matters will be determined then,” Dr Farooq added.
Omar Abdullah thanked the National Conference (NC) legislators for electing him their leader so that he can stake claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir.
“You are aware of the decision that was taken. A meeting of the NC legislature party took place, the legislature party has decided its leader and I am thankful from the bottom of my heart to the NC legislators that they have reposed their faith in me and given me a chance to stake claim for government formation,” Abdullah told reporters after he was elected the leader of the legislature party here.
With 42 seats, the National Conference became the single largest party in the Assembly elections, results of which were announced on Tuesday, while the Bhartiya Janata Party managed to cling onto its stronghold Jammu with 29 seats.
Nevertheless, the Congress, the NC ally, performance remained dismal, winning just six seats, five of in the Kashmir valley and one in Jammu.
The National Conference, according to Omar, now has the backing of four out of the seven independent MLAs, bringing the total number of party members in the 90-member Assembly of the Union Territory to 46.
Will Fight For Art 370
Earlier the National Conference said that the party will stick to its promises, stating that it will fight for the restoration of Article 370 and the rights of people that were snatched on August 5, 2019.
Speaking with reporters at party headquarters in Srinagar, NC spokesperson Tanvir Sadiq said that the party will stick to its promises.
“Today is our party meeting and tomorrow we will choose the leader. Jammu and Kashmir requires a strong and vibrant leadership and I don’t think anyone is better than Omar Abdullah,” he said.
Meanwhile, former MP and senior NC leader Hasnain Masoodi said that with the formation of government, they will start working on restoration of Article-370. “We will deliver all those promises that were made by NC in its party manifesto.”
Another party leader, Farooq Ahmad Shah said that people have shown faith in NC and J&K requires a strong and effective government.
Shah also said that they will fight for the restoration of Article-370 and rights of people that were snatched on August 5, 2019.
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