Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah played his part in the first session of the Assembly. His party presented a proposal in the Assembly to restore the old special status of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, i.e. restoration of Article 370, and got it passed. Two types of things are being said regarding this. It is being said that Omar Abdullah and his father Farooq Abdullah had already decided that a proposal for the restoration of Article 370 would be brought in the first session of the Assembly. They know that the Assembly or the State Government cannot restore it but there was already a plan to bring this proposal to soothe the sentiments of the people of Jammu and Kashmir.
On the other hand, it is also being said that National Conference had no such plan but when Mehbooba Mufti’s party PDP presented a resolution against the removal of Article 370 on the first day of the first session of the Assembly, then Omar Abdullah’s party It has become a compulsion that he too should bring a proposal. Keep in mind, when PDP presented the proposal on the first day, Omar Abdullah had raised questions on it and had said that if PDP was serious on such a proposal, it would have first discussed with other parties, especially the National Conference. He rejected PDP’s proposal calling it a non-serious proposal but after this the party felt that through this proposal PDP has emerged as a party more committed to Kashmiri issues. Then the proposal for restoration of Article 370 was brought and instead of any Muslim MLA, Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who came from Jammu region, presented the proposal.