Abdullahs’ unbroken path to power

Srinagar, Oct 15: In Indian politics, certain constituencies hold a mystical sway over political dynasties.

What Amethi represents for the Gandhis, Ganderbal embodies for the Abdullahs of Jammu and Kashmir – but with an even more potent magic.

As Omar Abdullah prepares to take the oath as Chief Minister for the second time on Wednesday, the spotlight once again falls on the Ganderbal constituency that has been the Abdullah family’s political lodestone for generations.

The Abdullah-Ganderbal saga began with Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, the patriarch who laid the foundation of this enduring political legacy.

The journey of Sheikh Abdullah popularly known as Sher-e-Kashmir as Chief Minister, intrinsically linked with Ganderbal, spanned two terms: from February 25, 1975, to March 26, 1977, and again from July 9, 1977, to September 8, 1982.

Each victory in Ganderbal heralded his ascent to the State’s highest office.

Following in his father's footsteps, Farooq Abdullah continued nurturing the family’s bond with Ganderbal. His political career saw him clinch the chief minister’s position thrice, each time riding on the back of a Ganderbal victory.

Farooq’s tenures

stretched from September 8, 1982, to June 2, 1984, then from November 7, 1986, to January 19, 1990, and finally from October 9, 1996, to October 18, 2002.

The constituency had become more than just a voting district.

It was the Abdullah family’s gateway to power.

Enter Omar Abdullah, representing the third generation of this political dynasty.

His journey with Ganderbal began on a rocky note.

In his maiden foray into the electoral politics of J&K, Omar contested from Ganderbal but faced a setback, losing to People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s Qazi Muhammad Afzal.

This defeat coincided with the formation of the PDP-Congress alliance government, where Mufti Muhammad Sayeed and Ghulam Nabi Azad shared the chief minister’s role on a rotational basis.

However, the political tides turned in 2008.

Omar, following the well-trodden path of his grandfather and father, secured a victory in Ganderbal. This triumph catapulted him to the CM’s office, heading the NC-Congress alliance.

His first stint at the helm lasted from January 5, 2009, to January 8, 2015, marking a continuation of the Abdullah legacy in both Ganderbal and the State’s leadership.

The 2014 elections brought an interesting twist to the tale.

Omar once again emerged victorious, but this time he had left the family’s lucky charm of Ganderbal, choosing instead to contest from Beerwah.

While he won his seat, NC couldn’t muster a majority, leading to the formation of a PDP-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government.

This deviation from the family’s traditional stronghold seemed to have broken the spell, albeit temporarily.

Now, as Omar Abdullah stands on the threshold of assuming the chief minister’s role once more, the political grapevine buzzes with speculation.

Omar will retain Ganderbal's seat, a senior party leader said.

The CM-designate has won elections from two seats in 2024 – Budgam and Ganderbal.

For in the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir, an unwritten rule seems to persist - an Abdullah victorious in Ganderbal is an Abdullah poised for the J&K’s top job.

This enchanted connection between the Abdullahs and Ganderbal has become the stuff of political folklore.