Fair Point: Omar vs Mehbooba - How Kashmir's dynasts flip on India, Pakistan

An amusing side effect of Operation Sindoor is being felt in Kashmir, where two prominent political parties are trying to expose each other's allegiance to the country.

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The Abdullahs and the Muftis are two major dynastic families in the valley that have held political sway for most of the time in the erstwhile state, with the former being in power for a longer period.

The two families are known rivals and have been vehemently fighting against each other politically for decades - between Mufti Mohammad Sayeed (from NC to Congress to founding the People's Democratic Party) and Sheikh Abdullah (National Conference); Mufti Sayeed and Farooq Abdullah; and later Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah. All five leaders have served as Chief Ministers of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir, and now NC's Omar Abdullah is the Chief Minister of the Union Territory. He won the first Assembly elections held after the abrogation of Article 370 and the revocation of statehood in August 2019.

Together, the two families have ruled the state for over three decades, clearly exhibiting their political influence in the UT, especially in Kashmir. The leaders have consistently been at loggerheads, except during very brief periods such as during the Assembly elections in 1996, the Lok Sabha polls in 1998, and the formation of the People's Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) in 2019 (a coalition of political parties seeking the restoration of Article 370 and Article 35A). Except for these moments, the families have remained political rivals.

From political rhetoric to accusations of having links with terrorists and separatists, the fight has now shifted to a contest over who is more loyal to India or harbours softer sentiments for Pakistan. The latest spat, which unfolded on social media, is not merely amusing - it reflects the nature of politics that has played out in J&K, particularly in Kashmir, since 1947.