Omar Abdullah Election Result Live: Will The National Conference VP Regain Family's Stronghold?

Omar Abdullah, the vice president of the National Conference (NC) and former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, is contesting the assembly elections in the Union Territory from Budgam and Ganderbal constituencies. Omar Abdullah set his foot in politics in 1998 when he represented the Srinagar constituency in Lok Sabha. He won the elections and was subsequently re-elected in 1999 and 2004.

He was first elected from Ganderbal in 2008 and became the Chief Minister of the Union Territory in 2009. As he completed his five years as the Chief Minister, Omar won the Beerwah Assembly seat.

Ganderbal has long been a National Conference stronghold, electing three generations of the Abdullah family. The party’s founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah won the seat in 1977, and his son Farooq Abdullah won the seat in 1983, 1987, and 1996.

Elections for the Jammu and Kashmir assembly seats were held in three phases – on September 18, 25 and October 1. The counting of votes is currently underway.

OMAR ABDULLAH’S FIGHT IN BUDGAM, GANDERBAL

Budgam is witnessing a three-way contest between Omar Abdullah, People’s Democratic Party (PDP)’s Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, and Awami National Conference’s Aga Syed Ahmad Moosvi. Omar Abdullah enjoys strong backing from Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a respected Shia leader and three-time MLA from the area.

In Ganderbal, Abdullah is engaged in a high-stakes contest against his former ally, Ishfaq Ahmad Sheikh, who won the seat in 2014 and is now running as an Independent candidate after being expelled from the National Conference last year.

WHAT OMAR ABDULLAH SAID AMID VOTE COUNTING

As the counting of votes for the assembly seats in Jammu and Kashmir began today, Omar Abdullah exuded confidence in winning and said the result, in anybody’s favour, should be transparent.

“We have the hope that we will win. The decision made by the voters of Jammu and Kashmir, we will get to know by today afternoon. There should be transparency, if people’s mandate is against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), they shouldn’t pull off any tricks,” he told reporters.

When asked about any possible alliance with Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP, Omar Abdullah said, “Neither have we asked for any support from them nor have we received any support. Let the result come.”