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Tag: National Conference

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J&K CM Omar Says People Found Their Voice Through Special Status Resolution; BJP Threatens To R

J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday claimed that the people of Jammu and Kashmir "found their voice" after the resolution on the restoration of the special status of the erstwhile state was passed and that the "burden is off their shoulders" now. Meanwhile, after the high voltage drama in the Assembly on Thursday over the resolution, the BJP warned of running a parallel government in J-K if the "Speaker continued to challenge the country's integrity and sovereignty". Speaking on the vote of thanks for the Lt Governor's address in the House, Abdullah said: "The first session of the newly elected Jammu and Kashmir Assembly is short in duration but historic in terms of agenda." The first session of the new J&K assembly began on Monday and ended on Friday. This comes after a ruc...
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Silent on Article 370, Omar govt resolution on J&K special status gets Congress, AAP support

New Delhi: A resolution moved by the National Conference-led government in Jammu and Kashmir seeking a dialogue for the “restoration of special status” and “constitutional guarantees” while avoiding specific mention of Article 370 provided leeway to the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to support it Wednesday. While it fought the J&K elections as an ally of the NC, which promised the restoration of Article 370, the scrapped constitutional provision which granted special status to J&K, the Congress remained silent on the issue, committing itself to the reinstatement of statehood instead. The NC’s decision to move a resolution on special status while leaving out Article 370 from its text is seen as part of a balancing act through which the party wants to avoid getting confronta...
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Veteran NC leader Abdul Rahim Rather elected Speaker of J&K Legislative Assembly

National Conference’s Abdul Rahim Rather elected as the Speaker of J&K Legislative Assembly. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement Veteran National Conference leader and seven-time MLA from Charar-e-Sharief Abdul Rahim Rather was elected as the first Speaker of the legislative assembly of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Monday (November 4, 2024).Mr. Rather was elected the Speaker with a voice vote after the opposition parties decided against contesting for the post. Protem Speaker Mubarak Gul conducted the election.Minister for Agriculture Javed Ahmad Dar moved a motion to name Mr. Rather for the post of Speaker, while NC’s MLA Ramban Arjun Singh Raju seconded the motion on the first day of the fi...
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Omar Abdullah retains Ganderbal, gives up Budgam | India News – Times of India

SRINAGAR: J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah has retained Ganderbal seat and resigned from Budgam after having won from both in the recent assembly polls. Protem Speaker Mubarak Gul made the announcement Monday while administering oaths to the 90 newly elected MLAs, including Omar.Sources Omar’s move to give up Budgam would necessitate a bypoll, with Omar’s National Conference (NC) likely to field a fresh candidate.Omar was the first to be administered the oath and he went through the motions in Kashmiri. Son of NC president Farooq Abdullah and his British wife Mollie, Omar had often faced criticism earlier for not being able to speak his native language. Deputy CM and Omar’s NC colleague Surinder Kumar Choudhary took his oath in English.While the third-generation politician from the Abd...
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Omar Abdullah vacates Budgam Assembly seat, retains Ganderbal; J&K MLAs administered oath

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah addressed the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) workers during a party meeting, in Jammu, on October 19, 2024. | Photo Credit: PTI The newly elected members of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly were administered oath on Monday (October 21, 2024) by Pro-tem Speaker Mubarak Gul, with Chief Minister Omar Abdullah taking the pledge in the Kashmiri language.The Chief Minister won both the Budgam and Ganderbal Assembly constituencies in the recently held elections. He vacated the Budgam seat and retained the Ganderbal constituency, the pro-tem speaker announced in the House on Monday. The Ganderbal seat is considered an Abdullah family stronghold.The 54-year-old leader was an MLA from Ganderbal from 2009 to 2014 during his first tenure as th...
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Supreme Court to consider plea for time-bound restoration of J&K statehood | India News – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court announced on Thursday that it will consider listing a plea calling for a time-bound restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the applicants, urged a bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud, along with Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, to prioritise the matter for urgent hearing."There is a Miscellaneous Application (MA) regarding the restoration of statehood. It was noted in last year's judgment that the process should be time-bound," the senior lawyer argued. In response, CJI Chandrachud assured, "I will deal with it."The fresh plea has been filed by Zahoor Ahmad Bhat, an academician, and socio-political activist Khurshaid Ahmad Malik from Jammu and Kashmir.In December 2023, the...
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‘Congress has become a joke’: BJP after Omar Abdullah’s ally gets no place in J&K govt | India News – Times of India

After National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah was sworn in as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister on Wednesday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) took a dig at the Congress, calling it "irrelevant" as the party was not included in Abudullah's government despite being its pre-poll ally in the Valley.Congress, which has six MLAs in the 90-member assembly, will be backing Omar Abudllah's party, which has 42 MLAs, without any official portfolio in the government.The BJP, which won 29 seats in the recently concluded J&K assembly polls, quipped at the Congress, saying it has "become a joke"."No Congress in the new J&K Cabinet. Now even NC has realized that Congress is irrelevant in the current political scenario of the country. It also goes to show how fragile their so-called I...
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Omar Abdullah to take CM oath today; Rahul, Akhilesh to attend event | India News – Times of India

Omar Abdullah (PTI photo) SRINAGAR: INDIA bloc heavyweights will be present in strength as National Conference's Omar Abdullah takes oath as CM of J&K for the second time Wednesday at a venue along the Dal, ending six years of central rule since BJP's withdrawal from the then coalition government forced his predecessor Mehbooba Mufti of PDP to resign, reports Saleem Pandit.Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi, AICC chief Mallikarjun Kharge and SP's Akhilesh Yadav will be among those attending the swearing-in.Sources said at least eight ministers could be sworn in along with Omar. J&K PCC chief Tariq Hameed Karra could be the only one from Congress to get a berth. DMK's Kanimozhi Karunanidhi, Supriya Sule of NCP, and AAP's Sanjay Singh are expected, too.Source link
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NC Eyes Rajya Sabha Seats After Govt Formation In J-K, Congress Likely To Get One Seat

National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah is set to take oath as the new chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. Preparations have been put in place for the oath ceremony of the chief minister and his council of ministers at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) on Wednesday.  The NC-Congress government is likely to fill up the vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Jammu and Kashmir immediately after the government formation.  Out of the four seats, the NC is likely to send two leaders, including Farooq Abdullah to the upper house. The party is also expected to send another leader from Jammu to the Parliament.  Meanwhile, the Congress is likely to get one seat, while the BJP is expected to capture the fourth seat based on its strength in the assembly.  Jammu and Ka...
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Now revoked in J&K, what President’s Rule means legally & when it can be imposed, extended

New Delhi: The Centre Sunday revoked President’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir and, in turn, cleared the way for the formation of a new government to be led by Omar Abdullah in the Union territory (UT). “In exercise of the powers conferred by Section 73 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 read with Articles 239 and 239A of the Constitution of India, the order dated the 31st October 2019 in relation to the Union territory of Jammu and Kashmir shall stand revoked immediately before the appointment of the chief minister under Section 54 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019,” said the gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and signed by President Droupadi Murmu. Section 73 of the 2019 act envisages a scenario where the constitutional machinery ...
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LG invites Omar Abdullah to take oath as CM Wednesday | India News – Times of India

SRINAGAR: J&K lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha invited National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah to take oath at 11.30am Wednesday as the first CM since the state became a Union territory in 2019.Monday’s invitation followed the Centre’s decision to revoke six years of President’s rule in J&K after the collapse of PDP-BJP govt in 2018. “I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the govt of J&K,” Sinha said in his letter, informing that he received a communication on Oct 11 from NC president Farooq Abdullah confirming Omar’s unanimous election as leader of the legislature party.Sources said Omar is set to be sworn in along with a council of at least nine other members.Though the names of the ministers are yet to be announced, sources said the ministry is likely to i...
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L-G Manoj Sinha invites Omar Abdullah to form government in J&K on October 16

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in Srinagar. | Photo Credit: ANI J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Monday (October 14, 2024) invited Chief Minister-designate Omar Abdullah to form the next government in J&K on October 16 in Srinagar. “I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the Government of Jammu and Kashmir. As separately settled, I shall administer Oath of Office and Secrecy to you, and to those recommended by you for induction as members of your Council of Ministers, at SKICC, Srinagar on 16 October, 2024 at 11:30 a.m.,” a letter of the L-G read.L-G Sinha wished Mr. Abdullah “a highly productive tenure and success in your endeavours in the best interest of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”Mr. Sinha...
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Jammu-Kashmir: LG Sinha Invites National Conference-Led Govt To Take Oath On Oct 16

The oath-taking ceremony for the new government in Jammu and Kashmir is scheduled for 11:30 am on 16th October, following the withdrawal of President's rule. Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha extended an invitation to National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah to form and lead the new government. The invitation letter, addressed to Omar Abdullah, read, "I am pleased to invite you to form and lead the Government of Jammu and Kashmir." Omar Abdullah on Monday shared a copy of this letter on social media, stating, "Was pleased to receive the Principal Secretary to LG Manoj Sinha ji. He handed over a letter from the @OfficeOfLGJandK inviting me to form the next government in J&K." Was pleased to receive the Principal Secretary to LG Manoj Sinha ji. He handed ove...
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J-K: Ex-CM Farooq Abdullah Urges Return Of Kashmiri Pandits, Says ‘NC Govt Not Jammu’s Enemy’

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference President and former J&K CM Farooq Abdullah on Saturday said that it was time that the Kashmiri Pandits, who were forced to flee their homes after the 1990s exodus, return to their homes as there was peace in the Valley. He expressed hope that they would return soon and stated that his party also thinks about the people of Jammu as well and that the new NC government is "not their enemey". Abdullah's statement came a day after Chief Minister-designate Omar Abdullah staked claim to form a government in J&K, following the support from allies, including Congress, AAP, CPI (M), and Independents. The NC chief also said that Kashmiri Pandits should return to Kashmir and take care of their homes and assured that they will be welcomed back with open ar...
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‘Time has come …’: Farooq Abdullah’s message for Kashmiri Pandits | India News – Times of India

Farooq Abdullah (PTI/File) National Conference (NC) chief Farooq Abdullah on Saturday appealed to the Kashmiri Pandits to "come back home". The Kashmiri Hindu community faced a mass exodus in the early 1990s when armed insurgency and terrorism peaked in the Valley, forcing them to flee Kashmir.In an assurance to the Kashmiri Pandits, Abdullah, who is also J&K's former CM, said they "should feel that the National Conference government is not their enemy"."I hope that our brothers and sisters who have left from here come back home. Now the time has come, they should return to their homes. We do not think only about Kashmiri Pandits, but we also think about the people of Jammu, we should treat them well, they should also feel that the National Conference government is not their enemy. We ...
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Symbol of hope for youth to now a ‘tech-savvy, no-nonsense politician’, the evolution of Omar Abdullah

“Today, I will say one thing—my turban, my honour and this cap are in your hands,” Omar said in Kashmiri on 4 September, right after filing his nomination from Ganderbal constituency.The two speeches—the fiery 2008 address, where he lashed out at the BJP, captivating the entire Lok Sabha, and the emotional speech made in Ganderbal to reach out to the voters ahead of the crucial 2024 J&K elections—highlight different facets of Omar’s personality.The video of his appeal to Ganderbal voters went viral, with many saying they were seeing a “different” Omar who had become more “composed” and “mature” over time. Many said his defeat in Baramulla against Engineer Rashid in the Lok Sabha election in June had left him humbled.On Friday, a day after he was elected leader of the NC legislative par...
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Omar Abdullah meet LG, stakes claim to form government in J&K | India News – Times of India

SRINAGAR/JAMMU: With four Independents and the lone AAP MLA formally pledging their support to National Conference (NC), and alliance partner Congress, too, handing over a letter extending unconditional support on Friday, CM-designate Omar Abdullah met lieutenant governor Manoj Sinha late in the evening and staked claim to form J&K’s first elected govt since it became a Union Territory.Omar, who was unanimously elected as the leader of NC legislature party on Thursday, drove to Raj Bhavan and handed over letters of support to Sinha. After coming out, he told reporters: “I requested him to fix a date for the swearing-in ceremony so that govt can start functioning. It will be a long process as there is a central rule here. The LG will first send the documents to Rashtrapati Bhawan, which...
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National Conference to send Farooq Abdullah to Rajya Sabha – Times of India

SRINAGAR: With J&K set to get a new govt helmed by his son Omar Abdullah, NC chief Farooq Abdullah is preparing himself to represent the party in the Rajya Sabha, highly placed sources said.A senior NC leader confirmed the party, which bagged 42 assembly seats in the recently held elections, would send Farooq to the Upper House. “He is a guiding force for us... There is a consensus within the party that Farooq sahab should go to RS to represent NC there and raise the issues of people of J&K.”Sources in NC said the newly elected legislators will elect four representatives to Rajya Sabha, once a notification is issued by ECI.“At present, Ghulam Ali Khatana is the only Rajya Sabha member representing J&K. He is a Gujjar face and was nominated by BJP with an aim to win their votes ...
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J-K: NC’s Omar Abdullah Stakes Claim To Form Govt, Seeks Oath Date From LG As Cong, AAP, CPI(M)

National Conference (NC) vice president Omar Abdullah met LG Manoj Sinha on October 11 to stake claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir. The development came after the Congress Legislature Party extended support to the NC for government formation in the Union Territory.  #WATCH | Jammu and Kashmir National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah leaves for Raj Bhavan from his residence in Srinagar. He will stake claim to form the government. pic.twitter.com/83QrT4muwn — ANI (@ANI) October 11, 2024After meeting LG Manoj Sinha, Omar Abdullah said that he has requested the LG to fix a date for the oath-taking ceremony so that the government can proceed with its functioning. He also said that the ceremony might be held on Wednesday.   "I met the LG and handed over lett...
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‘We want brotherhood but … ‘: Farooq Abdullah pitches for revival of ties with Pakistan | India News – Times of India

Farooq Abdullah (File photo/PTI) Farooq Abdullah, chief of the National Conference party that stormed into power in the recently concluded Jammu & Kashmir elections, made a strong pitch for the revival of ties between India and Pakistan, which has descended to its lowest ever since Independence.The National Conference chief on Friday said that India should have good relations with all its neighbours, calling New Delhi the "elder brother" of neighbouring nations."It is not our job, it is the Centre's job (to decide whether to initiate talks with Pakistan or not)...We want brotherhood. We should have good relations with all our neighbours," Farooq Abdullah told news agency ANI.Abdullah also said that India should revive the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), which ...
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Culture

Jammu & Kashmir | Now for the hard part

Omar Abdullah is the first to admit that winning the Jammu and Kashmir assembly polls was maybe the easy part. As vice president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC), he may have scripted electoral history with his party, along with INDIA bloc partner, the Congress, winning a comfortable majority. In doing so, they have thwarted the game plan of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to form a government on its own and anoint a BJP CM for the first time in J&K’s history. But Omar is fully aware that unlike his previous stint as chief minister between 2008 and 2014, when he headed a JKNC-Congress alliance, his second coming poses enormous challenges. As he puts it, “In my first innings, I was CM of the most empowered state. But now J&K is the country’s most disempowered Uni...
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Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections: Backing Omar Abdullah’s leadership

National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah and president Faroof Abdullah at the party headquarters in Srinagar | Photo Credit: ANI Jammu and Kashmir has long been a stronghold for regional parties. In the recent elections, the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance, which performed well in the Kashmir Valley, is set to form the government, while the BJP did extremely well in the Jammu region. The growing fatigue with bureaucratic governance and a lack of representation in the legislature has driven voters to actively seek leaders and parties that resonate with their needs. In this context, the Lokniti-CSDS survey sought to understand how leadership and party preference influenced voting decisions.Importance of party In our survey, party loyalty emerged as the most significant fac...
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‘Gunda Raj Back?’: Iltija Mufti Accuses NC, CPI(M) Of Hooliganism, Arson After J&K Poll Victory

The People's Democratic Party on Thursday levelled allegations against the National Conference and Communist Party of India (Marxist) of indulging in hooliganism, stone pelting, and arson after winning the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. Addressing a press conference at the PDP headquarters in Srinagar, PDP leader Iltija Mufti congratulated Omar Abdullah Abdullah on his election as the legislature party leader and his party's victory. However, she questioned whether the huge majority was won for hooliganism and destruction of properties. She went on to cite various incidents of hooliganism involving NC MLA from Srigufwara-Bijbehara, Bashir Veeri, claiming that his workers vandalised PDP workers' houses and set one of their cowsheds ablaze. "The NC's elected MLA from Srigufwara-Bijbeh...
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Omar Abdullah List’s Top Priorities Of NC-Led Govt In J&K, Shares Advise For New CM

National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Wednesday said the priority of the NC-Congress government in Jammu and Kashmir will be to pass a resolution on restoring statehood. The NC-led alliance is all set to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir after it won the Assembly elections, the first for the Union Territory in a decade. on Tuesday.  Talking to reporters in Srinagar on Wednesday, the National Conference said the alliance's elected Chief Minister will travel to Delhi with a resolution and present it to the top leadership of the  Bharataiya Janaya Party government in the Centre, to fulfil their promises. When asked about his father and NC supremo Farooq Abdullah's statement proclaiming Omar Abdullah will be the next Chief Minister, he said, "I am very grateful for the con...
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J&K headed for winter of discontent? It will depend on Lt Guv’s playbook – Times of India

NEW DELHI: The J&K LG will, prima facie, have the same powers as the Delhi LG, and also control prisons, which come under the state govt in Delhi. Observers are not ruling out recurrent strain in working ties between the LG and the elected govt — a common occurrence in Delhi — over several issues. Perhaps the first indication that the Centre was ready for assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir came when it amended the Transaction of Business of the Govt of Union Territory of J&K on July 12, 2024, to make it mandatory for all decisions relating to postings and transfers of secretary-level officers, appointment of law officers, grant or refusal of prosecution sanction and prison-related matters, to be put up to the lieutenant governor (LG) for approval, through the chief secretary.The...
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Haryana Defies Exit Polls To Give Unprecedented 3rd Term To BJP. NC-Congress Seize J&K

The BJP pulled off a hat trick in Haryana on Tuesday, bettering its 2019 performance to score a majority in the northern state. In Jammu and Kashmir, I.N.D.I.A bloc allies Congress and National Conference looked set to form the Union territory’s first government. While the BJP has won 48 of Haryana’s 90 seats, the Congress’ tally stands at 37 (36 declared won, leading in 1, as of 8.30 pm). Former Haryana deputy chief minister Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), which played kingmaker in 2019, hasn't won a single seat. The results have proved dismal overall for the powerful Chautala clan, with the Om Prakash Chautala-led Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) winning just 2 seats.  In Jammu & Kashmir, the National Conference (NC) has won 42 of the 90 assembly seats, and the Congress...
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