Omar Abdullah’s First Year as CM of Jammu & Kashmir (Union Territory): ‘A Mandate Muffled by Raj Bhawan’

Omar Abdullah’s First Year as J&K CM — Democracy Without Teeth

By: Javid Amin | 19 Oct 2025

A Year of Power and Powerlessness

In October 2024, Omar Abdullah returned to power as Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, leading the first elected government after six years of central rule. His electoral victory carried immense emotional weight: a symbolic reclamation of local governance after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.

But as the calendar turns to October 2025, Omar’s first year in office has not been one of triumphant political transformation. Instead, it has been marked by friction, frustration, and a fragile mandate—a democracy running on half its limbs.

A Crown of Thorns: The Structural Trap of Dual Power

Unlike any of his previous terms, Omar now governs a Union Territory, not a state. This means the real levers of power—security, policing, key administrative appointments—remain with the Lieutenant Governor (LG), who answers to New Delhi, not the elected CM.

This dual power structure has:

• Clipped the wings of the elected government.

• Created constant turf tensions between the Civil Secretariat and Raj Bhawan.

• Left ministers negotiating more than governing.

“We are in power but not in control,” remarked a senior National Conference minister off the record. “Every file has to pass two doors—our cabinet and Raj Bhawan.”

This dynamic has earned the government labels like:

• “Democracy without teeth”

• “The illusion of power”

• “A mandate muffled by Raj Bhawan”

The Public Mood: From Hope to Disillusionment

When the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC) swept the 2024 polls, it did so on promises of statehood restoration, employment, and political dignity. Voters hoped for a government that would speak for Kashmir, not merely administer it.

But after one year:

• Statehood remains a promise, not a plan.

• Job creation has lagged.

• Youth engagement has been largely symbolic.

• Political and emotional disconnect with New Delhi remains stark.

In Baramulla, Anantnag, and Kupwara, conversations have shifted from “We finally have our government back” to “But what can they really do?”

Statehood: The Promise That Defines Everything

Restoring full statehood was Omar’s central campaign promise. But the Centre has offered no timeline, no structured dialogue, and no roadmap.

Omar himself has publicly voiced frustration and is considering joining ongoing petitions in the Supreme Court of India to push for restoration.

His statement on statehood during the anniversary week was blunt:

“We still believe the solution to all of J&K’s problems lies in restoring statehood.”

Statehood isn’t just a symbolic demand—it is the key to unlocking legislative autonomy, from policing to development policy, from security to resource control. Without it, the CM remains a tenant in his own house.

Relief Schemes & Symbolic Governance: What Has Been Achieved

Despite these constraints, Omar’s government has tried to assert its limited space:

• Relief Schemes: Post-landslide and flood compensation packages for affected families in North Kashmir.

• Transport Upgrades: Launch of new intra-city and inter-district bus services to improve connectivity.

• Education Initiatives: Strengthening of district-level schools, digital classroom pilots, and partial scholarship schemes.

• Public Engagement: Regular town hall meetings, mohalla sabhas, and the revival of civic dialogue spaces.

But these efforts, while appreciated, are seen as incremental and cosmetic compared to the larger constitutional vacuum that remains.

Centre–State Disconnect: The Political Gulf Widens

Perhaps the most defining feature of Omar’s first year is the deep emotional and administrative disconnect between Srinagar and New Delhi.

• The Centre views J&K primarily through a security prism.

• The state government wants political empowerment.

• The LG operates as a parallel power centre, often without consulting the CM.

• Bureaucrats — many deputed from outside the region — wield outsized influence.

This dynamic was evident in several high-profile episodes:

• LG’s unilateral clearance of infrastructure projects without cabinet vetting.

• Delays in file approvals relating to police reform and land allocation.

• Parallel press briefings on key governance issues, creating public confusion.

“We have an elected government,” a senior NC leader quipped, “but the power switch is still in Delhi.”

The Symbolic Weight of October 2024

Omar Abdullah’s return to power was not just an election; it was an emotional referendum. For many Kashmiris, it represented:

• A step away from bureaucratic rule,

• A chance to reclaim their political voice,

• A bridge between their aspirations and the Indian Union.

One year later, that bridge looks shaky but not broken. While many are disillusioned, others see Omar’s tenure as a necessary political staging ground—a half-step toward a fuller democracy.

Opposition Response: Political Calculations in Play

PDP

The Jammu and Kashmir Peoples Democratic Party has accused Omar of “symbolic politics”, arguing that he has failed to push the Centre harder on statehood and civil liberties.

“He speaks of powerlessness, but he’s in power,” said PDP leader Waheed-ur-Rehman Parra.

BJP

The Bharatiya Janata Party continues to emphasize security-first governance, mocking Omar’s administration as “ceremonial.”

“What can a CM do without Delhi’s blessings?” a senior BJP spokesperson said, echoing the party’s confidence in the current status quo.

Congress

Caught between coalition calculations and ideological posturing, Congress has maintained a low-profile support, wary of fully committing to the statehood narrative.

A Year of Limited Wins and Deferred Dreams

This performance sheet reflects a government trying to breathe under constitutional water—technically alive but struggling to swim.

Narratives That Shape the Moment

This political reality has generated powerful metaphors in local discourse:

• “Democracy without teeth” — An elected government without real power.

• “The illusion of power” — Political theatre masking administrative control.

• “A mandate muffled by Raj Bhawan” — A government constrained by the Governor’s office.

These narratives matter. They shape public trust, political mobilization, and the battle for constitutional space in Kashmir.

Omar Abdullah’s Strategy Going Forward

In recent interviews and press interactions, Omar Abdullah has hinted at a two-pronged strategy for Year Two:

1. Legal Action: Joining or supporting constitutional challenges in the Supreme Court to push for statehood restoration.

2. Political Mobilization: Expanding NC’s grassroots outreach to build public pressure on the Centre.

He has also called on civil society, business groups, and political rivals to form a united front on statehood — an appeal that reflects both his constraints and political ambitions.

Public Sentiment: Cautious, Divided, Realistic

Across towns and villages, the mood is not uniformly angry. It’s complex:

• Some see Omar as a powerless CM, sympathizing with his constraints.

• Others believe he should be more aggressive in confronting New Delhi.

• Youth voices, especially in urban Kashmir, express growing cynicism about electoral politics itself.

“It’s like we voted for a government that can’t govern,” says Adil, a 22-year-old student in Srinagar.
“But at least we have someone to blame,” his friend adds wryly.

Bottom-Line: Between Symbol and Substance

Omar Abdullah’s first year as Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir is a case study in the contradictions of post-Article 370 politics.

• He has democratic legitimacy, but limited constitutional authority.

• He carries the people’s mandate, but operates under the LG’s shadow.

• He speaks of restoring power, but cannot wield it fully.

This is not failure in the conventional sense—it is a structural impasse, a political experiment playing out in real time.

The second year of Omar’s government will likely decide whether this experiment evolves into reform—or becomes another chapter in Kashmir’s long story of democratic dilution.