Politicians remain glorified daily wagers: Omar’s advice to sons

NEW DELHI: Pooh-poohing the BJP’s criticism of dynasty politics, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said that political lineage is not a “lifelong ticket” to success and questioned why the ruling party doesn’t raise the issue with its allied parties which can also be accused of perpetuating dynasties.

Abdullah was responding to a question during an exclusive interview on Friday with PTI whether his family’s fourth generation will go into politics, and if that would expose him to fresh criticism of perpetuating dynastic politics the way the Congress party and other opposition parties have been.

Abdullah’s two lawyer sons have recently made forceful political commentaries, especially on the issue of the abrogation of Article 370 of the Constitution that took away Kashmir’s special status, an emotive issue among Kashmiris. They also campaigned extensively with their father during the September Assembly elections.

“Whatever space they choose to carve out, they will have to make for themselves. Nobody is going to give them anything on a plate,” said Abdullah, whose grandfather Sheikh Abdullah is considered the founding father of the post-independence state of Jammu and Kashmir.

His father Farooq Abdullah was also a chief minister for decades, and Omar Abdullah returned as chief minister for a second time in October.

“Belonging to a political family is not a lifelong ticket for success. And I don’t need to point towards anybody else. I’ll just talk about myself. I lost an election this year,” he said, referring to his failed bid in the Parliamentary elections earlier this year.

However, he contested in the Assembly elections in September and won handsomely. “I’m the same person, same family, same political party,” he said.

He said the BJP’s criticism of dynasty politics is simply political hypocrisy.

“The BJP only seems to oppose political dynasties when it’s convenient. They have no issues with dynastic politics among their allies,” he said.

“I don’t need to point out the number of dynastic allies that the BJP has or has had in the past or will have in the future. So, I have always maintained that the BJP doesn’t have a problem with political families. They have a problem with political families that are opposed to the BJP,” he said.

From the BJP’s vantage, he said, politicians are neither dynasts nor corrupt once “you are an ally of the BJP.”

Asked if he will still give guidance or political advice to his sons, Zamir and Zahir, Abdullah, 54, said, “I have told them that as elected representatives … we are basically glorified daily wagers. We are here today. We will probably not be there tomorrow.”

He then gave his example, saying his party and he were elected in 2014. Then “we were dropped out of office in 2018 and we didn’t come back until 2024. So, you need something (an income and profession) to fall back on,” he said.

Drawing parallels with other fields like acting and sports, he highlighted that initial advantages of family connections quickly fade.

“Some get recognised initially, but if you can’t perform, no one will carry you,” he said.(Agencies)