JK News Today
Omar Abdullah who took over as chief minister of the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir could not have wished more at the starting point of his innings after the oath taking ceremony was over . Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him with all the best wishes as also assured him no uncertain terms that the Centre will work closely with him and his team for J&K’s progress.
This messaging by PM to Omar Abdullah should serve as a big boost to new chief minister as it paves way for him to take a flight for massive development and progress. In fact , it is a call for him to rise to the occasion and join hands with Centre in the joint efforts to take J&K to the heights that it deserves .
Omar an intelligent leader with a huge political and administrative experience – three time MP , including tenure in the union ministry and chief minister of J&K for full term six years from January 5, 2019 to January 7, 2015 – has the capacity to deliver on the promises made to the people. Essentially , he had promised people that they would get relief in their day to day life , while the issue of restoration of statehood were long-term matters .
The reality of the day is that Jammu and Kashmir is not an easy place to govern. Even though militancy has declined to a large extent , there are many more other challenges that he will have to surmount . He is a beneficiary of vastly improved situation in Kashmir, where not even a single stone has been thrown in the past few years , leave alone strikes and curfews and so on . He must take benefit of the situation and become an arm of the Centre that brought out this transformation in the situation. Arm, not in a sense of becoming a political extension of the Centre, but developing smooth relationship with the Centre, as Srinagar -Delhi relations have always been a matter of concern, and often resulted in instability and more serious and near-fatal consequences . The history of Jammu and Kashmir is littered with such examples.
At the very outset of his innings , Omar has sent a very positive message to Delhi vis Jammu . He has given three ministers, including Deputy Chief Minister in Surinder Choudhary , who was elected from Nowshera where he defeated BJP’s state unit president Ravinder Rains . It was a big win for Surinder Choudhary and National Conference , the party leadership has rewarded him with the second-most important post in the ministry after chief minister . Satish Sharma, Independent MLA from Chhamb who joined NC is the Hindu face from the region. Omar has also picked Javed Rana , a party veteran and loyalist , MLA from Mendhar, as one of three ministers from the region . This is an important message to the people of the border region of Pir Panchal as both Surinder and Javed Rana belong to the Pir Panchaal subregion that borders PoJK . In a sense, Omar has sent a message to Pakistan that J&K is fully empowered to empower its political representatives of this belt. The militancy that Pakistan has been attempting to re-inject in the sub region will be neutralized politically as well.
Coming back to PM’s assurance that Centre will work closely with Omar and his team for J&K’s progress , it opens up many opportunities for the new CM and also a challenge that how he moves forward from the stage where he is placed today . He is wearing crown of thorns, Prime Minister has put some roses in it .
