New Delhi

April 13, 2004

Omar Abdullah is the youngest in age to preside over a regional political party in Jammu and Kashmir, National Conference His Constituency to seek re-election to Parliament is from Srinagar. His Date of birth: 10 March 1970

I gained experinece in Vajpayee cabinet. I intend to show something spectacular in the next Parliament. I shall quietly work on to change the Mufti Mohd Government, but that should not take more time.

In a chat with this correspondent, Omar spoke at length about the political trend.

Political Experience: Joined active politics in 1998, when he contested Lok Sabha elections for the first time.He was elected again from Srinagar to the 13th Lok Sabha and joined the NDA.

Became minister of state for tourism the same year and took up the same job in the external affairs ministry in 2001.

Took over as the president of the National Conference from father Farooq Abdullah in June, 2002. Quit from the foreign ministry the same year just before the state assembly elections to rebuild the party in the state. Pitted as the Chief Ministerial candidate during the assembly elections, Omar lost the Ganderbal assembly seat to People's Democratic Party's Qazi Mohammad Afzal. Later, his party quit the NDA also.

Education: Went to Lawrence school, Sanawar and Sydenham College, Mumbai (Bachelor's in Commerce), University of Strathclyde, Scotland.

Marital status: Married to Payal, who he met while working at New Delhi's Oberoi hotel. Payal runs her travel agency. They have two school-going sons, Zahir and Zamir.

His typical day begins at 8 in the morning, by which time the security is in place and ends by sunset because of security reasons.

Before politics, dabbled in: Worked at the Oberoi hotel.

On why he's contesting Parliamentary elections after deciding to take up state politics, his party workers say: "This is all the more important now, in the interest of the state. This is also the mood of the people, that's why the party decided to field him."

Recent utterances: "I was accused by the PDP of always shying from the state politics, but what is its President Mehbooba Mufti doing now? Why is she contesting (for Lok Sabha from Anantnag)?" Issues in these polls: The National Conference's main poll plank is the state's autonomy. "The ground reality is that the PDP government has failed on all counts. There is no governance and no development," party workers say, adding development as an afterthought.

Pet projects: Is credited with the opening of an IT park, a food park and a children's park in the heart of the city. Omar also gives funds to an SOS village, which takes care of children orphaned by militancy in the state.

Of late has been busy with: Touring his constituency, instead of holding big rallies, wants to reach out to every village.