National Conference vice president Omar Abdullah address party workers’ meeting during the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly election, in Seerich, Ganderbal.
| Photo Credit: PTI

Hurt by the defeat faced in the recent Parliamentary election from Baramulla, National Conference (NC) vice president and scion of the Abdullahs, Omar Abdullah, is fiercely slogging it out from the twin Assembly constituencies of Ganderbal and Beerwah in central Kashmir, as a myriad of challenges confront him on both the seats.

For decades, the Abdullahs saw Ganderbal as their home turf. The constituency has been represented by the three generations of the Abdullahs comprising founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah and Omar Abdullah. However, Mr. Omar’s fresh bid to retain the turf was blunted by former NC leader and ex-Ganderbal MLA Ishfaq Jabbar, who floated his own party J&K United Movement earlier this year. Mr. Jabbar too pledges to fight for restoration of Articles 370 and 35A, Statehood and revocation of the ban on Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI), in a bid to eat into the NC cadre and woo JeI supporters.

The second possible dent to Mr. Omar’s vote bank has come from ally Congress. Sahil Farooq, who was Ganderbal district president of the Congress till the NC-Congress stitched a pre-poll alliance, quit the party and decided to contest as an Independent candidate, further dividing votes. Dr. Farooq is even trying to wean off a section of Gujjars and Pathans, which has a sizable population in Ganderbal. NC Member of Parliament (MP) Mian Altaf, a Gujjar, is working hard to keep the flock together for Mr. Omar.

On his release from jail, MP and Awami Ittehad Party (AIP) chief Engineer Rashid launched his first salvo at Mr. Omar and took a pledge “to defeat him on his own turf”. Mr. Rashid has fielded Sheikh Ashiq, a popular businessman who headed the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI) against Mr. Abdullah. A local with influence, Mr. Ashiq is campaigning hard among the urban voters of the constituency. On top of it, jailed cleric Sarjan Barkati, who also decided to contest from Ganderbal, has potential to sway sentimental and emotional votes away from Mr. Omar.

The challenge is only compounded by arch-rival Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate Bashir Ahmad Mir: “Only PDP and not NC can restore snatched dignity and rights. Candidates are air-dropped but local youth will decide the political destiny,” Mr. Farooq said, in a reference to Mr. Omar. This revival of NC structure and cadre that could help Mr. Omar Abdullah sail through, in a contest where votes are set to divide bitterly among multiple Independents. Mr. Omar lowering his skull cap and making an emotive appeal, ‘Toopi karzav raech’ (Be guardian of my dignity), during an election rally to voters in Ganderbal was an indicator of the uphill task he faces there.

In Budgam, Mr. Omar Abdullah has an edge. The party had managed to revive the silent cadre in the Lok Sabha elections and had numbers on their side. Two, the constituency with 20-25% Shia votes, NC MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a Shia cleric, is putting his efforts to ensure a majority of Shia votes consolidate in favour of Mr. Omar Abdullah. Though he is pitted against PDP’s Syed Muntazir Mehdi, again from a family of clerics and a cousin of Mr. Ruhullah. Mr. Mehdi remains a formidable candidate. Both the families are revered by Shias and remain central figures.

Meanwhile, the J&K Apni Party has issued a show cause notice to its chief spokesperson and candidate Muntazir Mohiuddin for allegedly “supporting Mr. Abdullah.” On Friday, Mr. Mohiuddin said he was withdrawing his candidature “to avoid a division of votes”. “I withdrew my candidacy. If Omar Abdullah wins from Budgam, then the problems faced by the people for the last three decades will be solved,” he said. This has come as a last-minute boost for Mr. Abdullah’s prospects from Budgam.