Omar Abdullah Chairs First Cabinet Meeting as Chief Minister of Union Territory Jammu and Kashmir

Srinagar: A day after being sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, Omar Abdullah chaired his inaugural cabinet meeting on Thursday, officials confirmed. The meeting took place at the Civil Secretariat in Srinagar.

Earlier in the day, a delegation led by Jammu and Kashmir Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary met with CM Omar Abdullah at his Gupkar residence. The Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) shared this update via a post on X (formerly Twitter). The meeting was attended by party members including Party Treasurer Shammi Oberoi, Political Advisor Nasir Aslam Wani, and PL Jammu Rattan Lal Gupta.

In his first public statement after taking office, Omar Abdullah emphasized his government’s commitment to serving the people of Jammu and Kashmir without causing public inconvenience. He stated, "I have spoken to the DG of @JmuKmrPolice to ensure there is no 'green corridor' or traffic stoppage when I move by road. I have instructed him to minimize public inconvenience and reduce the use of sirens."

Abdullah also directed that aggressive gestures, such as waving sticks, be completely avoided and urged his cabinet colleagues to follow the same example, ensuring that their conduct remains people-friendly. "We are here to serve the people, not to inconvenience them," he added.

This marks Abdullah's second term as Chief Minister, having previously served from 2009 to 2014. Heading the National Conference-led government, he has the support of other parties from the INDIA alliance and four independent candidates. The NC-Congress alliance secured a majority in the recent assembly elections held after a decade-long hiatus. JKNC won 42 seats, while the Congress secured six.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) showed a strong performance with 29 seats, while the Peoples' Democratic Party (PDP) won three. Other parties like the People's Conference, CPI-M, and AAP secured one seat each. Additionally, seven seats were won by independent candidates.

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