Due to the debacle in the Lok Sabha polls, Omar Abdullah had to come up with a backup plan as both constituencies were caught in a political cycle.

Campaigning for the 26 constituencies of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections will end on Monday evening. In this situation, all eyes are on National Conference Party leader and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. After losing the Lok Sabha elections at the hands of independent engineer Rasheed, Omar Abdullah has entered the assembly polls with a backup plan. Umar Abdullah is also contesting the election from Budgam Assembly constituency through his traditional Ganderbal. Even though the BJP voted for him in both the seats, Omar Abdullah is still stuck in a political maze. Omar Abdullah is trying his luck in Ganderpal Assembly constituency where Omar's grandfather Sheikh Abdullah and father Farooq Abdullah were MLAs. This time the election contest for Ganderpal constituency is completely different. Bashir Ahmad Mir of PDP, Qaiser Sultan Ghani of Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) and Kazi Mubishar Farooq of Abni Party are contesting against Omar. Eight candidates are trying their luck in Ganderbal Assembly constituency and Umar Abdullah in Budgam constituency. There are 8 candidates in the fray for Budgam constituency, which is considered the traditional seat of the National Convention. Former Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress leader Omar Abdullah is contesting for the first time in this constituency. PDP has fielded Agha Syed Muntajir, son of prominent Shia leader and former Hurriyat leader Agha Syed Hasan, to challenge Omar Abdullah. Abdullah has the backing of Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi, a three-term winner from Budgam and a respected Shia leader who wields considerable influence in the constituency. MP Mehdi has been involved in Budgam politics for a long time. Omar Abdullah was defeated by jailed separatist leader Engineer Rashid from Baramulla constituency in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The defeat in the Lok Sabha elections dealt a major political blow to Omar Abdullah. So, he has devised a backup plan by contesting in two constituencies, but in Budgam and Ganderpal constituencies, the opposition fielded strong candidates and staged a strong siege against Omar Abdullah. Though the BJP has not fielded any candidate in both the constituencies, it is backing a strong candidate against Umar. Challenge in both assembly constituencies: Umar Abdullah is facing tough challenge in both assembly constituencies Budgam and Ganderpal. Imprisoned separatist leader Sarjan Ahmad Wage alias Maulana Sarjan Barghati has made the contest interesting by contesting the Ganderbal constituency. Barghati's supporters and his daughter Shukra took charge of his father's campaign. Along with PDP's Bashir Ahmed Mir, DPAP's Qaiser Sultan Ghani and his own party's Qazi Mubisher Farooq, Umar Abdullah also has to face Barghadi. Despite Abdullah's strong support, the road to victory has not been easy and political experts feel that his road to victory this time will not be easy. To save his honor, Umar first chose Ganderbal, but the strategy of his enemies forced him to fight from Putgam as well. Umar Abdullah, who lost this seat in the 2002 elections, won in 2008 and became the Chief Minister. Agha Syed Muntajir enjoys considerable support in Budgam due to his father's deep influence among the Shia community in Budgam. NC's control in Budgam Constituency: The National Conference Party has been in control in Budgam constituency since 1977, except for the 1972 assembly elections. NC leaders Syed Ghulam Hussain Gilani and Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi have jointly secured seven wins for the party. A four-term winner, Jeelani defeated major rivals in the 1977, 1983, 1987 and 1996 elections. Following in his footsteps, Agha Syed Ruhullah Mehdi has won the constituency three consecutive times in 2002, 2008 and 2014. In such a scenario, all eyes are on whether Omar Abdullah can continue NC's decades-long dominance or break the streak of PDP's Agha Syed Muntajir. War of honor: Ganderpal Assembly constituency, considered the stronghold of the Abdullah family, has turned into a war of honor for Omar Abdullah. How Omar Abdullah has been fighting for the Ganderpal constituency since he made an emotional appeal to the people while filing his nomination. He took off his hat and placed it in his palm and urged the people to vote for him and said that their honor was in their (people's) hands. Apart from this, Umar's son also tried his best to make his father successful. Facing the challenge of being a foreigner, PDP's Basheer Ahmed Mir has twice contested the assembly elections from the neighboring Kangan constituency, but this time he is contesting from the Ganderpal constituency. Mir is a hero to the local people of Ganderpal district as he has saved many people from the Indus river and has assisted the police in such rescue operations many times. In this situation, Umar Abdullah faces the challenge of being a foreigner. Jabbar, who is contesting the elections as an independent, has also made this the main issue of his campaign. The election battle has become more intense with the entry of Jailed Maulvi Sarjan Wage, known as Sarjan Barghati, and Awami Ittehad Party candidate Sheikh Ashiq of Baramulla MP Engineer Rasheed.