Srinagar, March 10: Omar Abdullah today lost the tag of being the country’s youngest serving chief minister to Akhilesh Yadav, but he’s not complaining.

“Yey, I’m no longer going to be the youngest Chief Minister in the country,” the Jammu and Kashmir chief minister tweeted today, his 42nd birthday, minutes after Mulayam Singh Yadav’s 38-year-old son was chosen the leader of the Samajwadi legislature party.

“Congratulations Akhilesh & all the best for the next 5 years,” the tweet said.

Omar took over as Jammu and Kashmir chief minister on January 5, 2009, at the age of 38.

At that time, he was the youngest chief minister for his state as well as the youngest serving in the post in the country.

Today, Omar told The Telegraph: “It is good for the country (that young people are taking over) because the younger people have new ideas to give a new direction to the country.”

The run was not smooth for Omar as the Valley plunged into chaos in the first two years of his current stint.

At times, it seemed he would bid goodbye to chief ministership.

The year 2011 was his first peaceful year in office.

So does he have any advice for Akhilesh?

Not much.

“He (Akhilesh) has scored such a stunning victory that he doesn’t need my advice. His best advisor should be his father and he should blindly trust him,” Omar said.

He, however, asked Akhilesh to use his honeymoon period in office to its fullest.

Good wishes poured in for Omar on his birthday today, but at least one MP, the Congress’s Naveen Jindal, chose to congratulate him on losing the “youngest chief minister” tag.

“Happy birthday Omar. And congratulations on no longer having the stress of the “youngest CM” label :),” Naveen tweeted.

“Thanks very much Naveen. Its a tag I am very happy to surrender :-),” Omar replied.

Omar, though, is not the youngest chief minister the country has had.

Gegong Apang became chief minister of Arunachal Pradesh at the age of 30 and Prafulla Mahanta assumed charge in Assam at the age of 33. (See chart)

Like Akhilesh’s father Mulayam, Omar’s father Farooq Abdullah has also been a chief minister.