omar-abdullah-perfects-the-art-of-political-pragmatism

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah is the politically the shrewdest leader in the country right now.

 

Technically, he and his party National Conference happen to be the part of the Opposition Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA). But “practically and pragmatically” he is with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

 

Omar may be a unique case of being “in” the INDIA bloc, while at the same time being “with” the Centre as well.

 

Omar never gets tired of singing paeans to the Prime Minister for his support to his government, even inviting the wrath of the Opposition parties back home in Kashmir like the People’s Democratic Party and the People’s Conference.

 

Normally, given the fact as how ideologically polarised the National Conference and Bharatiya Janata Party are, there should have been a severe confrontation between the two, like that in West Bengal ruled by the Trinamool Congress. But that is not the case. The Jammu and Kashmir government seems to be as much a part of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) as the INDIA bloc.

 

There are two main reasons for this. Omar knows if he must succeed, he cannot do it without the support and cooperation from the Central government headed by Prime Minister Modi. Opposition criticism notwithstanding, the states have rarely have had any complaints or grievances against the Prime Minister or the Centre that their money had been delayed or denied or that the Central government is in any way destabilising the state governments of the Opposition parties. Yes, in some states there have been some issues between the chief ministers and governors, these understandably appear to be localised and not directed from the Centre.

 

Omar knows that every state gets due support from the Centre, irrespective of the party it is ruled by. That is why when he said the Centre had been more than generous towards Jammu and Kashmir in allocating funds, no Opposition-ruled state expressed any contrarian opinion. At the same time, such states, particularly the Congress ruled, cannot be expected to appreciate the Centre in any way. But they maintained silence even when they could have contradicted their JK counterpart. 

 

Omar has only one complaint against the Centre and that is the restoration of statehood. The Centre, has in principle, agreed to the demand. In fact, the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister have said on many occasions that statehood will be restored but there is no definite timeline for that. On rest of the matters, Omar makes it loud and clear that he is quite happy with the Centre.

 

Also read: Has Congress failed to provide leadership to INDIA?

 

This is not an easy thing for someone representing and heading a political party whose core constituency remains exclusively Muslims, to praise the BJP government at the Centre. Omar still does it. How risky it is even Omar knows that. After winning the elections in alliance with the Congress, Omar went on record to say that his purpose of aligning with the Congress was only to dispel any apprehensions among the Kashmiri (Muslims) that the National Conference might align with the BJP.

 

His purpose was served. People of Kashmir voted overwhelmingly for the National Conference in Kashmir enabling it to form the government. The Congress, despite having fought elections along with the National Conference, is not part of the government in Jammu and Kashmir. Omar also appears to be quite happy about it.

 

Omar even contradicts the Congress on the issue of ‘vote-chori’. Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has made ‘vote chori’ his main poll plank and fight against it as his main mission as well. Although Omar is not the only one to differ with Rahul on this, he is more vocal about it than anyone else. He cites his own example that had the BJP wanted to deny him the mandate, it would not have needed to do much as it could simply manipulate results of a few seats, which could have swung the results in its (BJP’s) favour and it could have formed the government and nobody would have even noticed it.

 

While Omar is being grateful and honest by speaking out facts even if it negates the argument of his alliance partner. It serves him double purpose. One, he establishes his own credibility that he is a leader who speaks the truth and calls spade a spade. Two, he comes in the good books of the Prime Minister, who does not lag in acknowledging and returning the favour either.

 

This is the greatest quality of Omar. He knows that his father Dr Farooq Abdullah and his grandfather Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah did not gain anything by taking on the Centre. He seems to have learnt his lessons well. No matter how many ideological differences he may have with the party in power at the Centre, he will not indulge in confrontation. Rather, he would prefer cooperation even at the risk of being termed a “BJP ally” as Kashmir-based Opposition parties like PDP and the People’s League have been accusing him of.

 

But Omar does not seem to care. And why should he as long as it helps him to run his government smoothly. Politics is indeed the art of possible and Omar knows it too well how to bend it pragmatically and keep everyone in good humour—allies and rivals alike.