SRINAGAR: Omar Abdullah thanked the National Conference (NC) legislators on Thursday for electing him their leader so that he can stake claim to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir. “You are aware of the decision that was taken. A meeting of the NC legislature party took place, the legislature party has decided its leader and I am thankful from the bottom of my heart to the NC legislators that they have reposed their faith in me and given me a chance to stake claim for government formation,” Abdullah told reporters after he was elected the leader of the legislature party here. He said four of the seven Independent MLAs have extended support to the NC, taking the party’s strength to 46. “Talks are on with the Congress. They have been given a day to decide. Once they give us a letter of support, I will stake claim for government formation,” Abdullah said. The NC has emerged as the single-largest party in the just-concluded Jammu and Kashmir Assembly polls with 42 seats. The party has a comfortable majority in the 95-member Assembly as its alliance partners Congress and CPI(M) have won six seats and one seat respectively.
