Jammu: 38 year old Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the youngest Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir at a sparkling swearing-in ceremony here yesterday. In the presence of UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Union External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Governor NN Vohra administered Omar the oath of office and secrecy at the General Zorawar Singh Auditorium on the Jammu University campus.

Omar is the third generation leader of the J& K National Conference (NC). He is the son of former chief minister Farooq Abdullah and grandson of Sheikh Abdullah, another chief minister of the state.

Jammu, Jan 5 : National Conference party chief Omar Abdullah was sworn in as the Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister today.

State Governor N N Vohra administered the oath of office and secrecy to Omar at General Zorawar Singh auditorium in the presence of Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Omar will continue to be the Chief Minister during the entire tenure of the NC-Congress party coalition government.

National Conference won 28 of the Assembly''s 87 seats, the Congress 17, the People''s Democratic Party 21, Bharatiya Janata Party 11 and other parties and independents won 10 seats.

Jammu, Jan 5 : National Conference party chief Omar Abdullah will take oath as the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir along with five or six ministers here today.

Omar Abdullah will be administered the oath of office and secrecy by the State Governor N N Vohra at Zorawar Auditorium in Jammu University.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Congress President Sonia Gandhi are expected to attend the swearing-in ceremony.

Omar Abdullah, Chief Minister designate of Jammu and Kashmir, shall take charge along with a few Ministers from the National Conference and the Congress, before January 6, after the understanding reached between them.

This was announced after a meeting with the Congress at External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee’s office. Mr. Abdullah, accompanied by the Pradesh Congress Committee President, Saifuddin Soz and party in-charge of J&K, Prithviraj Chavan, said that he shall take the oath along with two National Conference members.

New Delhi, Jan 2 : The New coalition government in Kashmir headed by National Conference party chief Omar Abdullah will assume office on Monday.

Announcing this while talking to reporters after holding a meeting with senior leaders of the Congress party here today, chief ministerial designate Omar Abdullah said that he will take oath as the next Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir along with five or six ministers.

Abdullah''s National Conference (NC) party and the Congress party have entered into an alliance to form the government in the state.

The Congress indicated to the National Conference (NC) leader, Farooq Abdullah, that his son Omar Abdullah is be a better choice for the post of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir in case of any alliance between the two parties.

As per the sources, Congress party conveyed to Farooq that “it would be better to have a fresh face as Chief Minister of the troubled state”. The party met here, under the leadership of Sonia Gandhi last night, and discussed the post-poll scenario in Kashmir.

Farooq kept changing stand on the NC’s Chief Ministerial candidate for the coalition with the Congress.