Omar Abdullah, who recently took oath as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, convened his inaugural cabinet meeting on Thursday at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar. This marks Abdullah’s return to the role he previously held from 2009 to 2014.
On the same day, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary led a delegation to meet CM Omar Abdullah at his residence in Gupkar. This meeting included prominent party members, such as National Conference Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, Political Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, and Jammu PL Rattan Lal Gupta.
In his first statement after taking office, Abdullah emphasized his government’s focus on serving the people and minimizing public inconvenience. He instructed the Director General of Police, Jammu and Kashmir, to eliminate “green corridors” and avoid traffic stoppages during his travel. “The use of sirens is to be minimal,” he stated, underscoring the importance of a people-friendly approach.
He also urged his cabinet colleagues to adopt a similar ethos, advocating for non-aggressive conduct and a commitment to serve the public effectively.
Omar Abdullah leads a National Conference-led government with the support of the Congress party and four independent legislators. The NC-Congress alliance won a decisive victory in the recently held assembly polls, securing 42 seats for the National Conference and six for Congress after a decade-long gap since the last elections. The BJP followed closely with 29 seats, while the Peoples’ Democratic Party won three, and a few seats were claimed by other smaller parties and independent candidates.
