- विज्ञापन -
Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah expressed his hope that 2025 will be a gentler year for him compared to 2024, which he described as a tumultuous period. Reflecting on his experiences, he shared on X, “2024 was a rollercoaster; the highs were amazing, but the lows were really tough. I hope 2025 is easier on my heart.”
In 2024, Abdullah experienced significant political ups and downs. He achieved a surprising double victory in the Legislative Assembly elections, winning from both Ganderbal and Budgam constituencies. This came after a major setback when he was defeated by Engineer Rashid in the Lok Sabha elections from Baramulla by over two lakh votes. Initially, he had stated he wouldn’t participate in the Assembly elections as long as Jammu and Kashmir remained a union territory, but he later reversed his decision and contested.
Despite his commitment to fighting for the rights of Jammu and Kashmir, which his party, the National Conference (NC), claims were unlawfully taken, neither he nor his party anticipated winning 42 out of the 90 contested Assembly seats. The NC formed a pre-poll alliance with the Congress, uncertain of achieving a majority alone. However, this strategy backfired, as the Congress won five seats in the Valley but only one in the Jammu division, where the BJP secured 29 out of 43 seats.
In hindsight, the NC believes it could have gained at least four additional seats had it not ceded some to the Congress. Abdullah has previously noted that electoral alliances often fail to convert party vote banks in favor of partners, a view that was validated in the Jammu division during this election.
While celebrating the victory of winning 42 Assembly seats, the NC faced disappointment over the seats given to the Congress that could have been safely contested. Abdullah continues to advocate for the restoration of statehood, hoping that 2025 will bring a more favorable political and administrative landscape for him, especially as he navigates the new reality of Jammu and Kashmir being a union territory following the abrogation of Article 370.
