Omar Abdullah set to be the new Jammu & Kashmir CM

Omar Abdullah, the president of the National Conference (NC), will become the youngest-yet chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, with Congress Tuesday giving its nod for a coalition with the NC, the single largest party in the new state assembly.

The uncertainty about the formation of a new government following a fractured verdict in the recently concluded elections ended Tuesday after Abdullah, 38, met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the national capital.

Emerging from the meeting, 38-year-old Omar said, “It has been decided that I will lead the coalition government in the state of which Congress will be a part.” Omar, who will be the state’s youngest chief minister, said, “Other nitty gritty of the alliance will be worked out in due course of time.” Congress and NC were part of an alliance in J-K in 1987. AICC General Secretary and J and K in-charge of the party, Prithiviraj Chavan said, “Omar Abdullah called on Congress President and proposed formation of a coalition government.