Farooq Abdullah's political career is not yet done

Farooq Abdullah had been the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir on several occasions since 1982 and was the union minister for New and Renewable Energy between 2009 and 2014.He is the son of the first elected Prime Minister of J&K Sheikh Abdullah, and father of former Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir Omar Abdullah.

Farooq was a novice in the political arena of Jammu and Kashmir when he was appointed president of the National Conference in August 1981. His main qualification was that he was the son and heir of Sheikh Abdullah. He was a doctor in London spending his free time with his friends and leading a carefree life.

After his father's death in 1982, Farooq Abdullah became the chief minister of the state. He was the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir state on three occasions: 1982–84, 1986–90, and 1996–2002.

In 1984, a faction of the National conference led by his brother-in-law Ghul Mohammed Shah broke away, leading to the collapse of his government and his dismissal. Shah subsequently became the Chief Minister with the support of the Congress. Farooq feels that politics then were more inclusive, unlike today.

A popular leader, Farooq frequently made demands that Jammu and Kashmir be given greater autonomy within the Indian Union as a way toward resolving the long-running problem of militancy in the state. In 1986, G.M. Shah's government was dismissed after communal riots in South Kashmir, and a new National Conference–Congress government was sworn in with Abdullah as the chief minister, after the Rajiv-Farooq accord.

A new election was held in 1987 and the National Conference–Congress alliance won the election amid allegations of fraud. This period saw a rise in militancy in the state, with the return of trained militants in J&K and incidents that included the kidnapping of the daughter of the Union Home Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed. Subsequently, Farooq Abdullah resigned in protest after Jagmohan was appointed the governor, and the state was brought under Governor's Rule. Farooq subsequently moved to the United Kingdom.

After returning to India, and winning the Legislative Assembly elections in 1996, Abdullah was once again sworn in as chief minister of the state. His government lasted for a full six-year term. In 1999, the National Conference joined the Atal Bihari Vajpayee led National Democratic Alliance, and his son Omar Abdullah was subsequently appointed a union minister of state.

Farooq Abdullah was subsequently elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2002 from Jammu and Kashmir and re-elected in 2009. He resigned from the Rajya Sabha in May 2009 and won a seat in the Lok Sabha from Srinagar. Abdullah joined the United Progressive Alliance government as a Cabinet Minister of New and Renewable Energy.

Abdulllah feels that Kashmiris are not free people but slaves. He is still unable to come to terms with the latest political developments like abrogation of article 370.