Farooq Abdullah re-elected NC prez

Srinagar: Farooq Abdullah was on Monday re-elected unopposed the president of the National Conference (NC), barely a fortnight after the 85-year-old leader announced he would not run for another term.

Abdullah, who has served as NC president for nearly three decades after being elected first in 1981, said though he wanted to step aside and let the younger leadership run the party, he was persuaded to continue as "we are passing through a very difficult phase."

Abdullah was elected the party's chief at the NC's delegate session held here after party leaders offered prayers at the mausoleum of NC founder Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah at Naseem Bagh in Hazratbal on his 117th birth anniversary.

Reacting to the development, the Jammu and Kashmir BJP said Abdullah's reelection as the National Conference chief shows the party is confined to dynasty politics "which has no place in J&K."

The last NC presidential elections were held five years ago.

NC general secretary Ali Mohammad Sagar said only Abdullah's nomination was received till the last date of filing papers.