‘Over 50 VIPs have been invited for Oath ceremony, Portfolios yet to be decided, say NC leaders; J&K to have elected Govt after 10 years’ With stage set for the swearing in ceremony tomorrow at SKICC on the banks of famous Dal Lake, National Conference has invited almost 50 dignitaries including Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhhi, Sonia Gandhi, AICC Chief Malikarjun Kharge, Party General Secretary Pryanka Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerji, Aam Admin Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and others.
J&K will have first elected government after a gap of ten years. What is significant is the fact that it will for the first elected government of the Union Territory. On August 5, 2019, BJP government sliced the erstwhile State of J&K into two Union Territories—J&K and Ladakh. The Centre also rolled back the special status of J&K. However, the Prime Minister Narendera Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah has promised on the floor of the house about restoration of statehood in J&K.
A senior NC leader, wishing not to be named, said that almost 50 VVIPs have been invited for the oath taking ceremony in J&K tomorrow. “Prominent among those invited are Rahul Gandhi, Malikarjun Kharge, Priyanka Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamta Banerji, MK Stalin, Udhav Thackeray, Sharad Pawar, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Arvind Kejriwal and D Raja,” he said.
He said there are other prominent faces who would be part of the oath ceremony. Chief Minister designate Omar Abdullah will take oath as the CM of J&K UT. He will become first CM of the J&K UT. The oath will also be administered to council of ministers. There will be nine ministers in the Cabinet led by Omar. NC sources said the scope to increase the number of cabinet was only possible when Statehood would be restored.
Meanwhile, all arrangements have been put in place including security, at the SKICC. Oath ceremony will take place at 11:30 am. On Friday, Omar has presented the letters of support from 42 NC MLAs, four independents, CPI(M) and six Congress MLAs to Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha and also staked claim on formation of government. On Sunday, the President of India, Droupadi Murmu issued a notification to lift the presidents’ rule in J&K. On Monday, LG Sinha extended the invitation to Omar to form the government on October 16.
