Ganderbal: Omar’s constituency

Ganderbal - a constituency that has been to the Abdullahs what Amethi was to the Gandhis. Ganderbal isn’t just any constituency; it’s a family heirloom, passed down through generations of Abdullahs.

In the recent development, National Conference Vice President Omar Abdullah decided to retain the Ganderbal Assembly seat and resigned from the Budgam Assembly segment. The announcement was made by the Speaker Pro-Tem, Mubarak Gul, as part of the proceedings during the oath-taking ceremony, where 90 newly elected MLAs were sworn into the J&K UT Assembly. Omar Abdullah’s decision to step down from Budgam comes after his victory in both constituencies in the recently concluded Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Omar won both the seats in the recently concluded Assembly elections with thumping margins.

The Representation of the People Act allows a person to contest an election from a maximum of two constituencies. However, the candidate can retain only one and must resign from the other seat within a set time after announcement of results. There will be by-elections for the seat vacated. Omar Abdullah for the third time chose to contest from his family bastion Ganderbal and winning Ganderbal for the second time.

The Ganderbal constituency is Omar’s family bastion, and three generations of Abdullahs have been sent to the Assembly. Omar’s grandfather Sheikh Mohammed Abdullah won Ganderbal seat for the first time in 1977. His son, Farooq Abdullah, won the seat thrice in 1983, 1987 and 1996. However, in 2002, Omar was defeated by PDP leader Qazi Mohammad Afzal from the Ganderbal seat. In 2008, Omar again retained the seat. However, in 2014, he moved to Central Kashmir’s Beerwah constituency, leaving the seat for Sheikh Ishfaq, another NC leader then. Though winning the seat didn’t prove as expected a herculean task for the NC vice president Omar Abdullah as he managed to win it with a thumping victory, but he faces the daunting challenge of meeting the expectations of the people, who appear to be looking for a saviour to bail them out of the present condition. Omar will be representing Ganderbal for the second time.

Ganderbal, one of the 90 constituencies in the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly, holds a distinct significance in the region’s political landscape. This constituency is often referred to as the ‘CM maker’ due to its historical importance in shaping the state’s leadership, especially post-1975. Omar’s return to a constituency he previously represented from 2009 to 2014, during his tenure as chief minister of the NC-Congress coalition government in the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, is a significant development.

The people in CM’s constituency have pinned their hopes on their representative and the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir to resume the process and work on the development of the Ganderbal district.

People in this high profile constituency suffer on various fronts and many important developmental projects are halted, and need to be taken up. Among few burning issues which the Ganderbal is facing remains the non starter 93MW New Ganderbal hydropower project, widening of the Nagbal-Beehama road, augmenting and improving facilities at district hospital Ganderbal with adequate staff and MRI facility, work to provide helping hand to artisans particularly the willow wicker workers, reconsidering the ban on mining in nallah Sindh which has impacted livelihoods of hundreds of people associated, upgradation and preserving of the famed tourist destination Sonamarg, Mansbal besides development of other unexplored places like Mohan Marg, Great Lakes, Naranag and others. Ganderbal faces the real challenge of the unemployment with educated unemployed youth struggling to make ends meet.

People expect the Chief Minister to make efforts to reduce unemployment in Ganderbal. Lastly, the youth need a platform to excel in sports and hope that the sports infrastructure will be upgraded so that they get an opportunity to fulfill their dreams.