Jammu and Kashmir: What next for Farooq Abdullah as son Omar Abdullah becomes J&K CM? A Rajya Sabha berth?

Jammu and Kashmir: National Conference Vice President, Omar Abdullah was sworn in as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir today, October 16. The 54-year-old politician has been the chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir between January 5, 2009 and January 8, 2015.

The National Conference - Congress alliance won the Jammu and Kashmir assembly election by bagging 48 seats in the 90-member House. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won 29 seats, up from 25 it won in 2014 assembly polls. All BJP seats came from Jammu. 

After Omar's oath-taking today in Srinagar, all eyes will be on the role for his father and party president, Farooq Abdullah. Remember in the run up to assembly polls, Farooq, 86 had said that he will lead the party since Omar had then annouced to stay away from contesting elections unless statehood is restored for Jammu and Kashmir.

Omar, however, successfully contested elections on two seats and is all set to assume the chief minister's role in the first post-Article 370 abrogation government of Jammu and Kashmir.

What next for Farooq Abdullah?

So what next for Farooq Abdullah? Will he stay in Jammu and Kashmir or shift to Delhi and take up a national role?

A three-time chief minister of the erstwhile state, a former Member of Parliament (MP) and ex-Union Minister, Farooq was seen campaigning in assembly polls. Just before 2024 general elections, Farooq, 86 stepped away from contesting polls citing health reasons. But Omar had then said that skipping Lok Sabha polls did not mean end of political career for his father.

Now that Jammu and Kashmir has an elected assembly, the process for filling the Rajya Sabha seats would also begin. Jammu and Kashmir sends four members to Rajya Sabha. With 55 MLAs. including independents, supporting the NC-led coalition government, may get three Rajya Sabha seats. The BJP, which emerged as the second-largest party with 29 seats, may get one.

Farooq Abdullah is likely to be one of the NC's Rajya Sabha nominees. Congress, which is likely to get a berth in Omar's cabinet, may also get one Rajya Sabha berth as part of the alliance deal, according to reports.

The last Rajya Sabha polls in Jammu and Kashmir were held in February 2015. The term of the four members expired in 2021 and since then no one could be elected in absence of an assembly.

Farooq served as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time when he was 45 in 1982 after his father’s death. He became chief minister again in November 1986 and in 1996 – for a full six-year term until 2002.

Omar Abdullah took over the reins of the party in 2002. Since then. Farooq has been primarily focused on a role in New Delhi. He won Lok Sabha elections in 2009, 2017 and 2019 from Srinagar seat. He was Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy between 2009 and 2014 under Manmohan Singh-led UPA government.