Srinagar, Oct 8 (UNI) National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah on Tuesday said that within a few days the meeting of party elected members would be held to elect the legislature party leader.
“Let us celebrate the victory on Wednesday and after a couple of days we will call the legislature party meeting to elect the leader of the party”, Omar told media persons in Srinagar this evening.
The NC Vice President won the assembly election from Budgam and Ganderbal seats by an impressive margin.
He said a similar meeting would be held with the alliance partners to decide the alliance leader.
“The letters of support would be collected from all the members including the alliance partners and similarly we will seek time from the Raj Bhawan to claim the formation of the government”, the National Conference leader said.
When said that Party president Farooq Abdullah has announced his (Omar) name as next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, he said “I am thankful to Farooq Sahib but we are not working in this way.
Farooq Sahib will put this suggestion before the legislature party and after that they will take the decision. Similarly we will sit with the alliance partners and they will also decide in this regard. After that we will claim the formation of government”.
In reply to a question, Omar said “the people have given their verdict and we stood firm on our party manifesto. We fought the election together with the congress and other alliance partners and won”.
“I am most thankful to the people for the victory as they overwhelmingly participated in the elections and National Conference won more seats than expected”, the former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister said and added “It is now our responsibility not to waste the vote of people and work for their aspiration would be our first priority”.
Asked what power this assembly would have for running the affairs, Omar said “we know this is not the assembly which we deserve. But I have often said that this assembly will be the way to reach that assembly”.
The honourable Prime Minister of the country has promised to the people for the restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir, Omar said, adding he never said that it would be possible when there would be a BJP government. The Prime Minister had said that let the elections were over, the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir would be restored.
He said now we hope the statehood to Jammu and Kashmir be restored at the earliest. The first step of the Chief Ministerial Candidate for the alliance would to contact the Central government and put the statehood demand before it.
Omar said “every government has the challenges in running the affairs. Let the Chief Minister take the oath of office and ask him about the challenges he would face”.
Earlier during the day, the NC Vice President said, “the responsibilities have been manifold and it is our duty now to work to prove ourselves able for the verdict with our full responsibility for the next five years”.
Omar said that during the past five years efforts were made to finish the National Conference in Jammu and Kashmir.
He said so many parties were formed here whose purpose was to finish the National conference.
“It is the almighty’s blessing that those who have come to finish us have no existence”, Omar said.

The former Chief Minister said that “the Raj Bhawan and the central government should accept the verdict like we did during the Lok Sabha election” and added “Whatever would be the results our political leaders will accept that”.
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