Politics, much like human relationships, thrives on trust, loyalty, and mutual respect. When these bonds are broken, consequences follow—sometimes with devastating impact. The recent Delhi elections and the dramatic fallout between AAP and Swati Maliwal serve as a stark reminder of what happens when a party sidelines those who once stood as its pillars. The parallels between this and Kashmir’s political landscape, particularly the National Conference (NC) under Omar Abdullah, are too striking to ignore.
Maliwal, a Rajya Sabha MP and former close ally of AAP, found herself at odds with the party leadership. Though she did not contest the elections, her presence was felt more strongly than many candidates who did. As AAP crumbled under the BJP’s wave, winning just 22 of 70 seats, Maliwal’s social media post—invoking Draupadi’s cheerharan—sent a powerful message: those who are mistreated within their own ranks may not forget, and their silence may one day prove louder than words.
Omar Abdullah and his party, the National Conference, should take note. The political landscape in Kashmir is shifting, and if NC continues to alienate its well-wishers, sidelining those who have long championed its cause, it may soon find itself facing a fate similar to AAP’s in Delhi. The 2024 elections in Jammu and Kashmir are historic, and every move matters. If the party leadership dismisses internal dissent and fails to value its own, resentment will grow—not just among sidelined party members but also among voters who see such betrayal as a sign of deeper cracks.
In politics, those who feel abandoned rarely walk away quietly. They either return as formidable opponents or become the silent force behind a party’s downfall. The choice before Omar Abdullah is clear: either embrace and empower the party’s well-wishers or risk watching them shift their loyalty elsewhere—possibly leading NC to an electoral reckoning that could be far worse than what AAP just endured.
