J&K polls: Will he, won't he? Omar Abdullah's moral stance & father Farooq's dilemma

Will Omar Abdullah contest the upcoming elections in Jammu & Kashmir or not? National Conference (NC), which has been demanding assembly polls in the Union Territory for many years now, is grappling with this fundamental question. As of now, there is no clear answer.

Former chief minister Omar Abdullah took a moral stance in 2020 that he will not contest the elections until Centre restores the statehood of J&K. Jammu and Kashmir was reorganised as Union Territory after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

It's not just his moral position that could be weighing Omar down.

Over the years, Omar has struggled to get rid of the "outsider" and "elite" labels given to him by his rivals.

Recently, the NC vice-president suffered a big setback in the Lok Sabha elections after losing the Baramulla seat to Sheikh Er Rashid.

With Omar unwilling to contest, his father Farooq Abdullah said that he will have to lead the party in the upcoming three-phase polls.

While Farooq, 86, is a tall leader who has helped NC win many polls in the past, there are growing concerns about his age and health.

Farooq said that he will contest the elections in 2024 but will step aside and let Omar take over when the statehood is restored.

Farooq's decision to lead the party into the polls prompted calls from NC functionaries to urge Omar to reconsider his stance.

After the Election Commission announced the schedule for the Jammu & Kashmir assembly polls, Omar has indicated that he may enter the poll fray.

"At my personal level I don’t want to fight elections but there is a lot of pressure from my party. I will talk to my colleagues and will reach a final decision," he told reporters.

He said that one of reasons why he may just step in the poll fray is his father's old age and health. "He told me that if I don’t fight elections, he will have to, which is a concern for me. We will reach a consensus after talking to colleagues and my father,” he said.

Plus, there are also concerns about differences between the old guard and the new.

An NC leader told The Indian Express that there have been discussions about making a senior leader the CM face of the party but Farooq is unwilling to loosen his grip.

"Farooq sahib has been maintaining a delicate balance and keeping the flock together. If someone else is given charge, the party could unravel. Farooq sahib does not want that to happen. That is why he is adamant that Omar sahib should join the contest or else he will himself,” he told the Indian Express.