National Conference president Farooq Abdullah announced his decision to contest the upcoming Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections, the first regional polls in the region in a decade.

Farooq Abdullah, a veteran leader and former chief minister of the erstwhile state, said that his son, Omar Abdullah, would not be participating in these elections. Instead, he emphasised that Omar would only contest once statehood is restored to Jammu and Kashmir.

“I will contest these elections, Omar Abdullah will not contest the elections. When the state status is granted, then I will step down and Omar Abdullah will contest from that seat,” Farooq Abdullah told reporters.

Omar Abdullah welcomed the announcement of a three-phase assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir and said it was better late than never.

“Some time back, the ECI announced the schedule for assembly elections in J-K. People of J-K were waiting for this day for a long time. It is better late than never,” Abdullah told reporters in Srinagar.

This will be the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, which stripped the region of its special status and split it into two Union Territories, that assembly elections will be held.

‘J&K still waiting for full statehood’: Congress after EC announces poll schedule

The Supreme Court of India had earlier set a deadline of September 30 for the polls, following a rejection of petitions challenging the revocation of the region’s special status.

The National Conference, which has historically been a dominant political force in Jammu and Kashmir, has consistently advocated for the reinstatement of the region’s statehood.

The three-phase elections to the 90-member Jammu and Kashmir assembly will be held on September 18, September 25 and October 1. While 24 seats will go to the polls in the first phase in Jammu and Kashmir, elections will be held in 26 seats and 40 seats in the second and third phases respectively.

The last assembly elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir in November-December 2014 in five phases.