Farooq Abdullah

Farooq Abdullah
Farooq Abdullah
Born	October 21, 1937 (age 89); Jammu and Kashmir, India
Occupation(s)	Politician, Physician
Years active	1980–present
Known for	President of Jammu & Kashmir National Conference; Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir; Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy

Farooq Abdullah (born 21 October 1937) is an Indian political figure currently leading the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference as its president. He has held the office of Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on several occasions between 1982 and 2002 and served as the Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy from 2009 until 2014. His father, Sheikh Abdullah, was the inaugural elected chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir, while his son, Omar Abdullah, has also occupied the chief ministerial role.

Early life and education

Born to prominent leader and National Conference stalwart Sheikh Abdullah and Begum Akbar Jehan Abdullah, Farooq Abdullah attended Tyndale Biscoe School before obtaining his MBBS degree from SMS Medical College, Jaipur. He subsequently practiced medicine in the United Kingdom.

Family

Farooq Abdullah is married to Molly, a nurse of British descent. They have four children: a son, Omar, and three daughters named Safia, Hinna, and Sara. Their son Omar Abdullah is actively involved in both state and national politics and has served as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir. Sara was formerly married to Congress leader Sachin Pilot, with their marriage ending in divorce in late 2023.

Entry into politics

During the tenure of his father Sheikh Abdullah as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Farooq Abdullah entered politics by being elected unopposed to the Lok Sabha from the Srinagar seat in the 1980 General Election as a founding member of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference.

Chief Minister, 1982–1984

In August 1981, Abdullah was appointed president of the National Conference and assumed the chief ministership following his father’s death in 1982. His administration ended in 1984 when a faction led by his brother-in-law Ghulam Mohammad Shah defected; Shah then took over as Chief Minister with backing from Congress.

1984–1996

Following the dismissal of G.M. Shah’s government after communal riots in 1986, Abdullah returned as chief minister through a National Conference–Congress alliance formed under the Rajiv-Farooq accord. The 1987 elections saw this coalition maintain power amid accusations of electoral malpractice. This era witnessed a surge in militancy within Jammu and Kashmir, including events such as the abduction of Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s daughter and the mass departure of Kashmiri Pandits. Abdullah resigned in protest against Jagmohan’s appointment as governor and the assembly’s dissolution, subsequently relocating to the United Kingdom.

Chief Minister, 1996–2002

After securing victory in the 1996 Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly elections, Abdullah was sworn in for his fifth term as chief minister, completing a full six-year tenure. In 1999, the National Conference joined the National Democratic Alliance led by Atal Bihari Vajpayee, during which time his son Omar Abdullah was appointed Union Minister of State for External Affairs.

Subsequent political career

In the 2002 Legislative Assembly polls, Omar Abdullah spearheaded the National Conference campaign while Farooq Abdullah concentrated on national-level politics. The party was defeated, leading to a coalition government under Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Although former Prime Minister Vajpayee had pledged to appoint Abdullah as vice-president in 2002, this did not materialize due to political differences.

Abdullah was elected to the Rajya Sabha representing Jammu and Kashmir in 2002 and re-elected in 2009. He resigned from this position in May 2009 to contest and win a Lok Sabha seat from Srinagar, subsequently joining the United Progressive Alliance government as Cabinet Minister for New and Renewable Energy.

In the 2014 General Election, Abdullah lost the Srinagar Lok Sabha seat to Tariq Hameed Karra of the People's Democratic Party. After Karra resigned in 2017, Abdullah regained the seat by defeating PDP candidate Nazir Ahmed Khan by more than 10,700 votes.

On 16 September 2019, following Article 370's revocation, Abdullah became the first major political leader detained under the Public Safety Act. He was released after seven and a half months on 13 March 2020.

In 2022, opposition parties proposed him as their candidate for President of India; however, he declined this offer to continue focusing on active political engagement concerning issues related to Kashmir's status as a Union Territory.

370 Hearing

In connection with the Article 370 proceedings, Farooq Abdullah, following his son Omar Abdullah, made an appearance before the Supreme Court of India.

External links

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