Islam Prop In New Poll Vault
Outlook|April 17, 2017

Jamaat­e­Islami is no longer anathema for the NC. Why are the Abdullahs wooing a faith-­based outfit?

Naseer Ganai
Islam Prop In New Poll Vault

WHEN a flamboyant and seasoned leader seeks vote from a conservative organisation, the political desperation seems obvious—however strong the denial comes. As two parliamentary byelections in his native Jammu and Kashmir draw close, senior politician Farooq Abdullah is increasingly invoking Islamic sentiments in a bid to woo the Jamaat­ e­Islami that his iconic father so famously detested all his life.

Six months short of turning 81, this could well be Dr Abdullah’s last poll battle, observers believe. The former union minister, who headed the troubled border state five times, is contesting as the candidate of his National Conference party in native Srinagar that goes to polls on April 9. Three days later is a by election in Anantnag, also in the Valley.

Dr Abdullah’s electoral opponent is far less known: Nazir Ahmad Khan of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ruling the state. That has not stopped the NC veteran, whose party is in alliance with the Congress, from wooing the Jamaat in a way, commentators say, is bringing back a political recluse to the mainstream of society. More so, when the contestant’s father, late chief minister Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah who founded the NC in 1932, had been a harsh critic of the Islamist outfit that has today lost much of its public clout.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM OUTLOOKView all
Layers Of Lear
Outlook

Layers Of Lear

Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold

time-read
4 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Loss and Longing
Outlook

Loss and Longing

Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful

time-read
6 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
Outlook

Suprabhatham Sub Judice

M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago

time-read
8 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Fortress of Desire
Outlook

Fortress of Desire

A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort

time-read
7 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Of Hope and Hopelessness
Outlook

Of Hope and Hopelessness

The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film

time-read
3 mins  |
December 21, 2024
Ruptured Lives
Outlook

Ruptured Lives

A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles

time-read
5 mins  |
December 21, 2024
The Big Book
Outlook

The Big Book

The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha

time-read
4 mins  |
December 21, 2024
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
Outlook

How to Refuse the Generous Thief

The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry

time-read
4 mins  |
December 21, 2024
The Freedom Compartment
Outlook

The Freedom Compartment

#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers

time-read
1 min  |
December 21, 2024
Love, Up in the Clouds
Outlook

Love, Up in the Clouds

Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee

time-read
5 mins  |
December 21, 2024