Congress declines to join J-K govt as statehood promise remains unfulfilled: JKPCC Chief Tariq Hameed Karra

The Jammu and Kashmir Pradesh Congress Committee (JKPCC) Chief, Tariq Hameed Karra, said on Wednesday that the Congress party would not be joining any ministry in the newly formed Jammu and Kashmir government. The decision, according to Karra, comes in light of the unfulfilled promise made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, which has yet to materialize.

“We are unhappy therefore we are not joining the Ministry at the moment. Congress Party shall continue to fight for restoration of Statehood,” JKPCC Chief Tariq Hameed Karra said.

Meanwhile, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday.

L-G Manoj Saxena administered the oath of office to Abdullah and his council of ministers at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.

In the assembly elections the Congress-National Conference secured 48 seats, with the NC winning 42 and the Congress only six seats in the Jammu Kashmir assembly elections.

This will be the first elected government in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganization of the former state into two Union Territories.

(ANI)