‘Thanks NC Leadership for choosing him for top post’
Arun Jasrotia
Jammu,TDD,In a significant political development in Jammu and Kashmir, newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Chaudhary received a grand welcome upon his arrival in Jammu today. During his address to party workers, Chaudhary expressed heartfelt gratitude to National Conference (NC) leaders Dr. Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah, as well as to the party and voters who made his historic appointment possible.
In an emotional revelation, Chaudhary disclosed that he was unaware of his appointment as Deputy Chief Minister until the swearing-in ceremony. He recalled being overcome with emotion during the ceremony, sharing that tears welled up in his eyes making it difficult to read the oath. The surprise appointment, he said, left him speechless and was beyond his expectations.
The Deputy Chief Minister has hit the ground running, conducting extensive meetings with various departments including R&B, Industry, Mining, and Labor & Employment. He emphasized his commitment to addressing public issues and implementing welfare schemes that had been pending for the past decade. Chaudhary announced plans for special camps at the panchayat level to facilitate public registration for various government schemes, marriage assistance program for underprivileged girls through the Labor and Employment Department.
Taking a strong stance on governance, Chaudhary affirmed that the NC-led government would work without discrimination, serving all citizens regardless of their political affiliations. He particularly emphasized the government’s zero-tolerance policy toward corruption, warning that corrupt officials would face strict action. In a pointed reference to critics, he highlighted that the NC’s flag colors match those of Mata Vaishno Devi’s chunri, defending the party against allegations of regional bias and noting that his appointment as Deputy CM from Jammu region was a conscious choice by the NC leadership, not a coalition compulsion as in previous governments.(TDD)