Restoration of Darbar Move top priority
Entered as MLA, emerged as Deputy CM; big responsibility on my shoulders
Historic Moment for People of Pir Panjal
Srinagar, Oct 13: Surinder Chowdhary was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday, vowing to become the voice of the voiceless in the Jammu region. He emphasised the significant responsibility on his shoulders to address a decade of challenges and restore prosperity to the Dogra heartland.
In an exclusive conversation with Rising Kashmir, Chowdhary acknowledged the heightened responsibilities of his new role, aiming to fulfill a ten-year vacuum within a five-year term. He expressed gratitude to party leaders Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah for his appointment, stating, “Omar Abdullah’s decision has shown that Jammu is as important as Kashmir.”
Chowdhary recounted the moment he learned of his appointment, saying, “I was sitting among the MLAs when Omar Sb informed me that I would be appointed as Deputy CM. This is the biggest responsibility on my shoulders, and by the grace of Almighty, I will fulfill it. I extend my gratitude to the people of the Nowshera constituency for giving me this opportunity—not just to represent them, but also the people of Jammu and Kashmir.”
Highlighting his historic appointment, Chowdhary noted that it marks the first time someone from the Chenab region has been appointed as Deputy CM. “Those who spoke of a CM from Jammu were rejected by the people,” he added.
Chowdhary outlined his priorities for the Jammu region, acknowledging the decline in the business sector following the abrogation of Article 370 and the abolition of the Darbar Move, which has resulted in issues in the transport sector and vacant hotels. “To save Jammu, we must revive the Darbar Move, as it will boost the region’s economy. Addressing unemployment and ensuring affordable electricity will be our secondary priorities,” he stated.
While recognizing that these changes would not happen overnight, he assured that the National Conference is committed to fulfilling its election promises. “I will strive to meet these challenges to the best of my abilities. It is indeed difficult to fill the vacuum of the past 10 years, but I have full faith in CM Omar Abdullah’s leadership and aim to serve the people of the Jammu region.”
Regarding the restoration of statehood, Chowdhary mentioned that the Home Minister assured Parliament that statehood would be restored in J&K, expressing hope that Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah would fulfill this promise soon.
Chowdhary, a former member of the PDP and BJP, gained prominence by defeating BJP’s J&K president Ravinder Raina from Nowshera by 7,819 votes. His selection as Deputy Chief Minister is seen as a step to ensure that the people of Jammu do not feel left out from the government.
In the 2014 assembly elections, Raina had defeated Chowdhary, who was then contesting on a PDP ticket, by a margin of over 10,000 votes. After resigning from the PDP in 2022, Chowdhary joined the BJP before leaving the party to join the National Conference in July last year.
