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| Omar Finally Makes his Mark in J&K Politics | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
Srinagar, Dec 28: Omar Abdullah, who led the NC campaign to emerge as the single largest party in J-K Assembly and is seen as a prospective Chief Minister, has finally made his mark in the complex politics of the border state that has been wracked by terrorism for over two decades.
The 38-year-old scion of Kashmir's 'first family', the Abdullahs, Omar, who is known for his trademark extempore speeches, started his political career as an MP in the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and was re-elected a year later. He went on to become the youngest union minister at the age of 29 under then prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
He served as Union Minister of State, Commerce and Industry in the NDA government. After two years, he was made Union Minister of State of External Affairs.
Omar, grandson of Kashmir's tallest leader Sheikh Abdullah, was handed over the party's mantle by his father and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah in 2002.
Even though the party emerged as the single largest group in the 2002 Assembly polls, it was a dismal start for Omar, a former management consultant, as he lost from the family stronghold of Ganderbal in the Valley.
"I wanted to begin from the same seat where I had tasted defeat, the first one. Of course... I knew the vote against me in 2002 was the anger of people and all I wanted to do was to convince them to give me a chance," Omar, who was educated in Mumbai and Scotland, and has Masters degree in Business Administration, said after reclaiming the seat.
In 2006, despite the disapproval of the UPA Government, Omar had a one-on-one meeting with the then Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf in Islamabad. The meeting was the first of its kind between a mainstream political leader from Kashmir and the Pakistan Government.
Omar escaped an assassination bid in 2007 when suspected militants fired two rifle grenades targeting him when he was interacting with party workers at a NC leader's house.
During the debate on trust vote for the UPA government in July this year, Omar gave a passionate speech on the Amarnath land row issue which was praised by leaders cutting across party lines.
In 2000-01, Omar was nominated as Global Leader for Tomorrow by the World Economic Forum, led an Indian delegation to World Economic Summit in Rio-de-Janeiro and UN World Conference on Racism in Durban. He was also Prime Minister's Special Envoy to Libya. He is also an ardent sportsman and known for his interests in tennis, skiing, swimming, squash and motocross biking. Omar had also hit the silver screen and acted in 'Mission Istanbul'. |
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