New J&K Government to Push for Statehood Restoration in Inaugural Cabinet Meet: Omar Abdullah

“Once the government is formed, I expect that in its inaugural cabinet meeting, the cabinet will pass a resolution appealing to the Centre to reinstate the statehood. This resolution should then be formally presented to the Prime Minister,” Abdullah remarked. He expressed optimism that the new government in J&K would function smoothly, contrasting it with the governance model in Delhi.

“There is a fundamental difference between our situation and that of Delhi,” he explained. “Delhi was never a state, nor was it promised statehood. Jammu and Kashmir, on the other hand, was a state before 2019, and we have received assurances from the Prime Minister, the Home Minister, and other senior leaders that statehood will be restored following the three-step process of delimitation, elections, and statehood restoration. With delimitation complete and elections conducted, only the restoration of statehood remains,” Abdullah said.

Abdullah underscored the importance of maintaining a cooperative relationship between the J&K government and the Centre, emphasizing that confrontation would not yield results. “This question should be directed to the Chief Minister once the government is established, but my advice would be to maintain a harmonious relationship with New Delhi. Achieving objectives through confrontation is not viable,” he noted.

He clarified that while the NC would continue to oppose the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) politically, it does not mean opposing the central government on every front. “We do not have to endorse BJP’s politics, nor will they endorse ours. However, it is in J&K’s interest to work constructively with the Centre for the benefit of the people. The public has not voted for confrontation; they seek development, employment opportunities, restoration of statehood, and solutions to issues like electricity. These challenges cannot be resolved through confrontation,” he added.

The NC leader announced that a legislative party meeting would be convened on Thursday to initiate the process of government formation. “I have already spoken with NC President Farooq Abdullah, and the party will hold a legislative meeting tomorrow. This will be followed by a meeting with our alliance partners to elect the alliance leader, after which we will approach the Raj Bhavan to stake a claim for government formation. I hope that the new government will be in place within the next few days,” he stated.

When questioned about the possibility of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) joining the coalition government, Abdullah said that there had been no discussions in that regard. “No communication has taken place between us and the PDP. Given the election results, which appear to be a setback for them, I can understand that they may be engaged in internal deliberations. If an opportunity arises for dialogue, we are open to it, but it is not our immediate priority,” he clarified.

Expressing gratitude for the people’s support, Abdullah acknowledged the responsibility the new government would bear. “The people of J&K have not had their voices heard since 2018. Now, it is time for us to work for their benefit. We must also address the divide between Kashmir and Jammu, ensuring that the incoming government provides a sense of ownership and inclusion for the people of Jammu,” he stressed.

He emphasized that the forthcoming government would serve all people of J&K, regardless of their political affiliations or voting choices. “This government will not be exclusively for those who voted for the alliance; it will be a government for every citizen of J&K, irrespective of their political preferences or whether they voted at all. Special attention will be given to ensure that regions with fewer coalition MLAs have a voice in governance,” he said.

On the issue of the Lieutenant Governor (LG) nominating five MLAs, Abdullah advised LG Manoj Sinha against such a move, stating it would have no effect on government formation. “Even if these five MLAs are nominated, the BJP will not be able to form the government. Such nominations will only place opposition members in the assembly, leading to conflict, as we would be compelled to challenge the move in the Supreme Court. While we aim for a cooperative relationship with the Centre, such an action would create tension from the outset,” Abdullah warned.

He further stated that several independent candidates who won the election are already in contact with the NC, and he expects their support to strengthen the coalition’s majority. “The nomination of five MLAs will not benefit the BJP. We have sufficient support from independents, and our coalition’s lead will increase. The BJP will gain nothing from nominating these five MLAs,” he concluded.