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Omar Abdullah the 'people's Chief Minister' is to seal age-old wounds

Omar Abdullah's swearing in as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir aptly illustrates that the state has accepted a vital mandate for peace. Separatism has lost out to the ideology of peace and development. And it is progress that will determine Abdullah's - and his partner the Congress Party's - legacy.

  • Gulf News
  • Published: 23:35 January 5, 2009
  • Gulf News

Omar Abdullah's swearing in as chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir aptly illustrates that the state has accepted a vital mandate for peace. Separatism has lost out to the ideology of peace and development. And it is progress that will determine Abdullah's - and his partner the Congress Party's - legacy.

Adding yet another capable face to India's new breed of emerging young politicians, Abdullah has excellent pedigree: he is inheriting the Jammu and Kashmir hot seat from his father Farooq Abdullah, a politician of great credibility. Another plus for the son is that he will be taking over the reins of government after a voting process which transcended the inter-community strife following the Amarnath land transfer row.

Ideological extremism has been severely dented and Abdullah has highlighted the right measures by claiming that he would be the 'people's' chief minister. And perhaps this is what the troubled state of Kashmir vitally needs - an energised leader who can surmount age-old fissures and reach out to the masses.

Another priority is to connect the dots by opening talks on an autonomy package between mainstream parties and local stakeholders. It is possible that Kashmir stands on the onset of a new era.

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