SRINAGAR: With the stage set for the swearing-in ceremony tomorrow at SKICC on the banks of Dal Lake, National Conference has invited almost 50 dignitaries. The oath ceremony will take place on Wednesday at 11:30 am.
The invitees include Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in Parliament Rahul Gandhi, Sonia Gandhi, AICC Chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Party General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamta Banerji, Aam Admin Party (AAP) chief Arvind Kejriwal and others.
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. Jammu and Kashmir will have its first elected government after a gap of ten years and the first elected government of the Union Territory.
“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 other prominent faces would be part of the oath ceremony. Chief Minister designate Omar Abdullah will take oath as the CM of JK. He will become first CM of the JK as a 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. 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 Jammu and Kashmir.
On Monday, LG Sinha extended the invitation to Omar to form the government on October 16. (News Vibes of India)
