For a long time, rumour mills were abuzz about cracks in the duo’s marriage and Omar’s proximity to a couple of high-profile women from the state after Payal moved to Delhi with their two children — Zamir and Zahir.
Jammu & Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, 41, on Thursday announced that he had separated from his wife Payal Nath after 17 years of marriage. For a long time, rumour mills were abuzz about cracks in the duo’s marriage and Abdullah’s proximity to a couple of high-profile women from the state after Payal moved to Delhi with their two children — Zamir and Zahir.
In his announcement, however, Abdullah denied reports that he was getting married again. “While it is true that my wife and I have separated, speculation about motives and about my future course of action are unfounded, untrue and deeply hurtful to all concerned,” he said in a statement. “The stories about my remarriage are completely false and concocted. It is a pity that while repeating these lies no effort was made to ask me whether they were true.”
Abdullah, scion of Kashmir’s first family, and Payal, daughter of a former army officer, had a fairytale romance before they got married in 1994. Abdullah, born to a Muslim father and a British Christian mother, fell in love with Payal, a Hindu, while they were working together at a five-star hotel. The couple was blessed with two sons who are studying in Delhi at present.
Despite Abdullah’s political upheavals, Payal stood like a rock behind her husband. All was well even after Abdullah became the youngest chief minister of the state. He frequently visited the capital to be with his wife and sons. But things changed soon after.
Abdullah stopped visiting Delhi and stayed away from Payal’s home. The growing marital discord between the couple became fodder for gossipmongers and rumours of Abdullah’s future plans surfaced in Kashmir every day.
Abdullah’s announcement on Thursday has ended all conjecture. He requested the media and the people to respect his privacy.
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