Farooq Abdullah, the National Conference (NC) leader, has declared that his son, Omar Abdullah, will assume the role of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. This announcement comes as the NC-Congress alliance is projected to secure a substantial number of seats in the ongoing Assembly elections, with estimates suggesting a potential win of 47 to 52 seats, exceeding the 46-seat majority required to form a government in the 90-seat Assembly.
Currently, the NC has won eight seats and is leading 33 others, while Congress has secured one seat and is leading in five. In contrast, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won ten seats and is leading in 19. Farooq Abdullah stated that the election results represent a clear mandate from the people of Jammu and Kashmir, signalling a rejection of the controversial decisions made on 5 August 2019 regarding the region’s special status.
Omar Abdullah is currently leading in both the Ganderbal and Budgam constituencies, which are traditional strongholds for the NC. He remains a familiar figure in regional politics with prior experience as Chief Minister from January 2009 to March 2015.
