Omar Abdullah: Jammu and Kashmir chief minister sworn in

Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday. 

Abdullah, the chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) party, is now the leader of Kashmir's first elected government since Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the ruling Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) revoked the region's special semi-autonomous status in 2019.

Jammu and Kashmir is thus directly administered by the Indian federal government in New Delhi. 

The swearing-in ceremony took place in the city of Srinigar, the largest city in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Abdullah's JKNC won the most seats in a three-phase election prior to his swearing-in. The JKNC is staunchly opposed to Modi's move to abrogate Kashmir's Article 370 of semi autonomy, with the JKNC's victory seen as backlash against Modi's decision. 

Manoj Sinha, a member of the ruling BJP, administered the oath of office to Abdullah.

Sinha serves as the Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, a position that was created by the 2019 Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act in the wake of Article 270's abrogation. 

Modi, Rahul Gandhi congratulate Abdullah

Modi, in a post on X, congratulated Abdullah on becoming chief minister: "Wishing him the very best in his efforts to serve the people." 

The JKNC is allied with the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA), which is led by India's largest opposition party, the Indian National Congress.

Rahul Gandhi, a member of the Congress Party who serves as leader of opposition in the Indian parliament's lower house, or Lok Sabha, was present at Abdullah's swearing in.   

Gandhi extended his congratulations to Abdullah in a post on X. At the same time, he said "government formation without statehood felt incomplete today."

"Democracy was snatched from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, and today we renew our pledge to continue our fight until statehood is fully restored," Gandhi said. 

How did the abrogation of Article 370 change Jammu and Kashmir? 

Under Article 370, the Indian Parliament in Delhi was only allowed enact laws for Jammu and Kashmir in the fields of defense, external affairs and communication.

By abrogating 370, the Indian Parliament can make laws applying to Jammu and Kashmir in areas other than those three subjects, with the constitution of Jammu and Kashmir rendered useless. It also meant that the non-Kashmiris could buy property in the Muslim-majority region.

India and the Islamic Republic of Pakistan have fought three wars since their independence from the UK over Kashmir. The Himalayan region is claimed by both India and Pakistan, with the Pakistani government strongly condemning the abrogation of Article 370.

Material from AP news agency and Indian media was used in the writing of this story