Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Friday declined to engage in a public dispute with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha over the latter's assertion that the absence of statehood should not hinder governmental performance. Speaking to reporters after inaugurating the Kashmir Marathon Expo at SKICC in Srinagar, Abdullah stated he would review the LG's full remarks before issuing any response.

"I have not yet read the Lieutenant Governor's statement. I must examine the exact wording to ensure accuracy in my reaction," Abdullah said, emphasizing the need for precision. He added that a substantive reply would follow "at the appropriate time" if the reported comments aligned with media interpretations.

The controversy stems from Sinha's address earlier the same day during J&K UT Foundation Day celebrations at SKICC. The LG reiterated Union Home Minister Amit Shah's parliamentary sequence—delimitation, followed by assembly elections, and eventual statehood restoration—while asserting that the elected government possesses sufficient authority to function effectively. "The elections were explicitly for a Union Territory assembly. Lack of statehood cannot serve as justification for underperformance," Sinha declared, in an apparent reference to demands from the National Conference-led administration.

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Abdullah's measured stance contrasts with his party's vocal advocacy for immediate statehood restoration, a key 2024 election pledge. The National Conference manifesto had prioritized reversing the 2019 reorganization that downgraded J&K to Union Territory status.

Shifting focus to developmental initiatives, Abdullah highlighted the marathon expo's role in showcasing regional potential. "Events of this scale provide participants with memorable experiences while promoting J&K's handicrafts, cuisine, and tourism to visitors from across India," he noted. The expo precedes Sunday's Kashmir Marathon, expected to draw thousands of runners and boost the Valley's post-monsoon tourism season.

Political observers interpret Abdullah's restraint as strategic, avoiding escalation with the Centre-appointed LG amid ongoing Centre-state negotiations on administrative powers and security coordination. The episode underscores persistent institutional frictions in J&K's hybrid governance framework, where executive authority remains divided between an elected council of ministers and the Lieutenant Governor.

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