Rumours surrounding a possible romantic relationship between senior journalist Nidhi Razdan and National Conference leader Omar Abdullah resurfaced after Razdan was spotted at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) In Srinagar on Wednesday during Abdullah’s swearing-in ceremony as the Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
This isn’t the first time speculation about a love affair between the former NDTV journalist and Abdullah has made headlines.
Their relationship has been the subject of public curiosity for years, with photos of them spending time together circulating on social media.
In 2020, Razdan fueled these rumours further by commenting on a tweet posted by Abdullah shortly after his release from detention, asking him to shave his beard.
At the time, Abdullah had shared a photo with his parents, captioning it, “Had lunch with my mum & dad for the first time in almost 8 months. I can’t remember a better meal.” To this, Razdan replied, “Welcome back. Now please shave.”
Fast forward to 2024, and Razdan’s presence at the oath-taking ceremony, which was attended by opposition leaders such as Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav, quickly went viral, sparking renewed debate on social media.
Reactions poured in from users on X (formerly Twitter), with some questioning her presence at the political event.
One user, @Vivekchandan, tweeted, “Is Nidhi Razdan officially Mrs. Omar Abdullah?” while another, @invisible7875, asked, “What is Nidhi Razdan doing there?”
Despite the rumours, neither Razdan nor Abdullah has commented publicly on the nature of their relationship.
However, political observers noted that Razdan was also present when the Abdullah family celebrated Omar’s election victory from Ganderbal in the recent assembly polls.
The Supreme Court earlier advised Omar Abdullah and his estranged wife, Payal Abdullah, to attend a mediation session in a bid to resolve their long-standing differences. The couple, who have been living separately for 15 years, are seeking a settlement, though Omar is reportedly not interested in reconciling the marriage.
Razdan, who was previously married to journalist Neelesh Misra, divorced in 2007 after two years of marriage.
Omar Abdullah, sworn in for a second term as Chief Minister, is the third generation of the Abdullah family to hold the position, following in the footsteps of his grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah. The swearing-in marks the return of an elected government in Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019.
In attendance at the ceremony were leaders from the INDIA bloc, including Congress’ Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, and PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti. The Congress, however, has opted not to join the council of ministers for the moment, citing its displeasure with the continued delay in restoring Jammu and Kashmir’s statehood.
Abdullah’s cabinet includes ministers from both the Jammu and Kashmir regions, with representation from the National Conference’s winning team, which secured 42 of the 90 seats in the recent elections. The alliance with Congress has given them a clear majority in the 95-member assembly.
As for the ongoing rumours about Razdan and Abdullah, social media platforms are abuzz with speculation about whether the pair will soon make an official announcement regarding their relationship.
<!– Published on: Wednesday, October 16, 2024, 03:52 PM IST –>
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