MS Shanker
In a spectacle that could rival the twists of a political thriller, Omar Abdullah, scion of the National Conference, on Monday lavished praise on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the inauguration of the 6.5 km Sonamarg tunnel. A tunnel promising year-round connectivity between Srinagar and Ladakh may bridge geography, but Omar’s remarks revealed a chasm of contradictions in his political stance.
Omar’s effusive gratitude for Modi completing a project initiated by the Congress in 2002 was a strategic nod, but the irony was palpable. He acknowledged Modi’s fulfillment of promises, including conducting assembly elections post the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A. The elections, he claimed, were “free, fair, and incident-free,” with no repolls—a feat rare in the troubled history of Jammu and Kashmir. But in the same breath, he “dared” Modi to fulfill another promise—the restoration of full statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. A calculated move or mere theatrics?
Let’s unpack this. For a leader who vehemently opposed the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A—temporary provisions of the Constitution that even the Supreme Court upheld—Omar’s newfound cordiality towards Modi reeks of opportunism. He’s well aware that his party’s clout has waned, and his words now appear tailored more for survival than conviction.
Omar’s National Conference, once a dominant force, found itself at odds with its ally, the Congress, during elections. The alliance that aspired to dethrone the BJP in Jammu collapsed under the weight of its internal fractures. The National Conference’s post-election strategy? Dump the Congress and attempt to go it alone. This isn’t new; the Abdullah dynasty has a history of shifting allegiances for political expediency. Omar’s father, Farooq Abdullah, once a staunch NDA ally under Atal Bihari Vajpayee, later morphed into a critic of the BJP. The oscillation between war-mongering rhetoric and peace overtures is a family hallmark.
Consider the irony of the younger Abdullahs advocating dialogue with Pakistan while simultaneously demanding action against cross-border terrorism. The elder Abdullah’s past theatrics now find an echo in Omar’s ambivalent stance. Today, he’s praising Modi for governance and hinting at hopes for statehood, while yesterday he was vilifying the BJP’s policies.
Prime Minister Modi, no stranger to political maneuvering, responded to Omar’s gratitude with a characteristic “sahi samay” (at the right time) regarding statehood restoration. The message was clear: trust isn’t freely given. Modi’s cautious acknowledgment of Omar’s thanks underscores a deeper skepticism about the Abdullahs’ fluctuating loyalties.
Meanwhile, Omar has joined the growing chorus of opposition leaders—from Mamata Banerjee to Akhilesh Yadav—criticizing the Congress’s lack of leadership within the INDIA alliance. The irony? Omar’s jabs at Congress come while his party ostensibly remains an alliance member. It’s a textbook case of having your cake and eating it too.
The younger Abdullah’s attempt to balance praise for Modi with demands for statehood restoration might seem shrewd, but it betrays a lack of political conviction. Modi, ever the chess master, has likely read this move for what it is: a desperate gambit by a regional leader grasping for relevance. For now, Omar Abdullah remains a player on the board, but whether he can regain Modi’s trust—or the trust of his constituents—is an entirely different game.
