Omar Abdullah elected NC legislature party leader

Omar Abdullah was on Thursday unanimously elected as the leader of the National Conference legislature party, party president Farooq Abdullah said in Srinagar.

"A meeting of the legislature party was held where everyone unanimously chose Omar Abdullah as its leader," the senior Abdullah said.

He said a meeting of the pre-poll alliance partners would be held on Friday to take the process of government formation further.

Earlier, all the newly elected MLAs of the National Conference (NC) met at party headquarters Nawa-i-Subah to elect their leader, who is most likely to be the chief minister as well, in the Jammu and Kashmir assembly.

Abdullah thanked the NC legislators 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 in Srinagar.

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 the Congress and the Communist Party of India-Marxist have won six seats and one seat respectively.