Four Independent MLAs extended their support to the National Conference (NC) on Thursday, enabling the party to cross the majority threshold in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.
The NC had emerged as the single-largest party in the recently concluded assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir, securing 42 seats. With its alliance partners Congress winning six seats and CPI(M) winning one, the NC now has a comfortable majority.
Key Developments in Jammu and Kashmir Government Formation
Omar Abdullah in Talks with Congress: Omar Abdullah mentioned that discussions with the Congress were ongoing, with the party being given a day to decide whether they would support the National Conference in forming the government.
Omar Elected NC Legislature Leader: On Thursday, Omar Abdullah was unanimously chosen as the leader of the National Conference legislature party, as announced by NC president Farooq Abdullah.
Gratitude from Omar: Omar expressed his thanks to the NC legislators for choosing him as their leader, which positions him to stake a claim to form the next government in Jammu and Kashmir.
Congress to Decide Leadership: Congress MLAs will convene on Friday in Srinagar, led by JKPCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra, to elect their Leader of the Congress Legislature Party. The selected leader’s name will be sent to the party high command for approval.
PDP Accusations: The Jammu and Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) accused NC and CPI(M) of resorting to “hooliganism” after the election results. Iltija Mufti, who lost to NC’s Bashir Veeri in the Srigufwara-Bijbehara seat, claimed that NC workers were harassing female PDP members.
Independent MLA Stands Firm: Independent MLA from Surankote, Chowdhury Mohd Akaram, firmly stated that he would not join the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), despite being approached by multiple parties.
Restoration of Statehood as First Priority: Omar Abdullah emphasized that the first priority of the NC-Congress government would be to pass a resolution aimed at restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
Farooq Abdullah on Article 370: Farooq Abdullah stated that while restoring Article 370 would take time and require a legal approach, the immediate focus would be on regaining statehood for Jammu and Kashmir.
Aiming for Regional Unity: The NC-Congress government also aims to bridge regional differences between Jammu and Kashmir and foster trust within the Hindu community, as Farooq Abdullah highlighted earlier.
Election Results Overview: In the 90-seat Jammu and Kashmir assembly, BJP secured 29 seats, PDP managed 3, while the People’s Conference and AAP won 1 seat each. Independents won 7 seats across the region.