Farooq Abdullah vs Salome Zourabichvili

After his father Sheikh Abdullah's death, Farooq Abdullah became the president of the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference. He inherited the party's leadership and the complex political legacy of his father, including the demand for autonomy.

Farooq Abdullah became Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir for the first time after his father's death. He formed a government with the National Conference. His tenure was marked by tensions with the central government and the rise of militancy.

Farooq Abdullah's government was dismissed by Governor Jagmohan under Article 356, with allegations of corruption and separatist sympathies. His dismissal sparked protests and deepened the alienation of Kashmiris. It was widely seen as a political move by the central government.

Farooq Abdullah signed an accord with Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, leading to his return as Chief Minister after the 1986 election. The accord was criticized as a compromise of autonomy. His second term saw the rise of armed insurgency in Kashmir.

Farooq Abdullah's National Conference formed a coalition government with the Congress after the 2002 election, with Mufti Mohammad Sayeed as Chief Minister. Abdullah served as a Union Minister in the UPA government. This period saw a reduction in militancy.

Zourabichvili was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs under President Mikheil Saakashvili. She was a French-born diplomat who had served as French ambassador to Georgia, and her appointment was seen as a bridge between Georgia and Europe.

Zourabichvili was granted Georgian citizenship by President Saakashvili, allowing her to serve as Foreign Minister. She had previously been a French citizen, and this dual citizenship was a prerequisite for her ministerial role.

Zourabichvili was dismissed as Foreign Minister after a public dispute with the parliamentary speaker and other officials. She accused the government of authoritarian tendencies, leading to her dismissal and subsequent move into opposition politics.

After her dismissal, Zourabichvili founded the political party 'The Way of Georgia' (Saqartvelos Gza). The party positioned itself as a centrist, pro-Western alternative to the ruling United National Movement.

Zourabichvili won the presidential election in a runoff with 59.5% of the vote, becoming the first female president of Georgia. She ran as an independent candidate, backed by the ruling Georgian Dream party.