A 19th-Century Tradition Reborn — A Step Toward Restoring Identity and Balance By: Javid Amin | 16 October 2025 In a landmark decision that blends history, symbolism, and politics, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has officially announced the revival of the Darbar Move, the 147-year-old biannual tradition of shifting the seat of government between Jammu and Srinagar. The decision, approved by the Jammu and Kashmir Cabinet in September 2025 and signed off by the Lieutenant Governor, restores one of the most distinctive administrative customs in India — one that was discontinued…
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Omar Abdullah at One Year: Promise, Patience and the Politics of Expectation
Omar Abdullah Completes One Year — Statehood, Jobs and the Credibility Test | Jammu & Kashmir Politics 2025 By: Javid Amin | 15 October 2025 One year after Omar Abdullah’s National Conference (NC) returned to power on a program promising “Dignity, Identity and Development”, the administration’s scoreboard is thin: symbolic wins exist, structural reforms do not. Statehood restoration and constitutional remedies remain unrealized; major employment and police-reform promises are still pending. At the same time the political environment shows fleeting openings — alliance tensions with Congress over Rajya Sabha seat-sharing,…
Read MoreSajad Gani Lone Says People’s Conference to Abstain from Jammu & Kashmir Rajya Sabha Vote; NC, BJP ‘Indistinguishable’
On October 14, 2025, Sajad Gani Lone, President of the People’s Conference (PC) and MLA from Handwara, made a striking political announcement. The PC will abstain from voting in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Jammu & Kashmir. Lone emphatically declared: “I will never vote for the National Conference (NC)”, and underlined that, in his view, the NC and BJP have become indistinguishable in how they conduct politics.This stance adds a new dimension to the already heated political atmosphere in J&K, where regional parties, national parties, and alliances are constantly…
Read MoreRuhullah Mehdi Slams NC Govt for ‘Political Inaction’ as One-Year Mark Nears
Srinagar MP’s Strong Rebuke Signals Rising Dissent Within Party Ranks By: Javid Amin | 12 October 2025 In a rare public criticism from within the party, Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, senior leader and Member of Parliament from Srinagar, has accused the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC)-led government of failing to deliver on key political promises during its first year in power. His remarks have triggered ripples across Jammu & Kashmir’s political landscape, raising questions about the direction and priorities of the Omar Abdullah administration. Speaking to reporters in Srinagar…
Read MoreBudgam Bypoll 2025: A Litmus Test for Omar Abdullah’s First Year in Power
A Battle Beyond the Ballot Box By: Javid Amin | 11 October 2025 The upcoming Budgam Assembly bypoll on November 11, 2025, is no ordinary electoral exercise. It carries the weight of public judgment on one year of governance under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and his party. Vacated by Omar himself after retaining the Ganderbal seat, Budgam has now become the symbolic battleground for assessing the government’s political credibility, its governance model, and its connection with the people. Political observers are calling this by-election a referendum—a midterm evaluation of sorts.…
Read MoreMehbooba Mufti: PDP Offers Full Support to NC Government to Protect J&K’s Land, Jobs, and Resources
A New Political Equation: PDP Extends Support to NC Government By: Javid Amin | 10 October 2025 In what could mark the beginning of a new phase in Jammu and Kashmir’s evolving political landscape, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) president Mehbooba Mufti has publicly declared her party’s readiness to support the National Conference (NC)-led government in safeguarding the region’s land, jobs, and natural resources.Her remarks, delivered at a press conference in Srinagar, come at a time when the region continues to grapple with uncertainty over restoration of full statehood and autonomy…
Read MoreNational Conference Announces Rajya Sabha Candidates: Ramzan, Kichloo & Oberoi to Represent J&K in Upper House
NC Finalizes Rajya Sabha Picks Amid Political Crossroads By: Javid Amin | 10 October 2025 After weeks of intense deliberation and speculation, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) has formally announced its three candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections scheduled for October 24, 2025.The nominees — Choudhary Muhammad Ramzan, Sajad Ahmad Kichloo, and Shammi Oberoi — represent a blend of political experience, regional representation, and party loyalty. The announcement was made by NC General Secretary Ali Muhammad Sagar during a press briefing at the party’s headquarters in Srinagar.…
Read MoreBudgam Bypoll 2025: Litmus Test for Omar Abdullah’s Year-Old Government
When Budgam votes again, it may deliver more than a single MLA—it could deliver a verdict. By: Javid Amin | 09 October 2025 As the autumn political calendar advances, all eyes are turning to Budgam. Once considered a relatively safe seat for the National Conference (NC), the upcoming by-election has been recast as a referendum on the performance of the Omar Abdullah government, which recently crossed its first anniversary in office. Scheduled for November 11, 2025 (with polling for Budgam and Nagrota announced jointly) the Budgam contest—or more surgically, how…
Read MoreOmar Abdullah Breaks Ranks: From Delhi’s Ally to Kashmir’s Advocate
Omar Abdullah’s Shifting Politics: Statehood, Delhi, and the Future of Jammu and Kashmir By: Javid Amin | 12 September 2025 From Conciliation to Confrontation When Omar Abdullah returned to power in 2024 as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir (now a Union Territory), his political approach seemed pragmatic. He avoided direct confrontation with New Delhi, instead choosing to work within the boundaries of UT governance. At first, this strategy made sense. The region was still adjusting after the abrogation of Article 370, and Abdullah emphasized stability, development, and dialogue.…
Read MoreSignature Campaign on J&K Statehood: Symbolism, Strategy, or Mere Theatrics?
Opposition Tears Into Omar Abdullah’s Move, Calling It a Betrayal of Public Trust By: Javid Amin | 16 Aug 2025 A Campaign That Raised More Questions Than Hope On Independence Day, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah announced what he described as a “massive democratic mobilization”—a door-to-door signature campaign across all 90 Assembly constituencies of Jammu & Kashmir. The campaign, planned to run over eight weeks, seeks to gather lakhs of signatures demanding the restoration of J&K’s statehood, a promise that has remained unfulfilled since the abrogation of Article 370 and the…
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