SRINAGAR, Apr 22: Opposition National Conference president and former Chief Minister Farooq Abdullah, who has been out of the public eye for almost a year due to kidney transplant, today made a surprise visit to Lal Chowk city centre here.
Abdullah, 77, went shopping at Lal Chowk and interacted with the people as he made his first public appearance in nearly one year.
After shopping, Abdullah visited the Press Colony on posh Residency Road and took mediapersons by surprise by his unannounced visit. He obliged to the request of the shutterbugs for some snaps and set the cameras rolling.
“He (Abdullah) raised his hands in air and said, ‘Tiger is back’,” one of the photojournalists present there said.
As Abdullah was posing for the photographers, a passerby told him: “Doctor Sahab, you have grown old”.
The remark prompted Abdullah to step out of his car. He called out to the elderly man and held him near as he went on to pose for the shutterbugs.
“Abhi toh mein jawaan hoon (I am still young). I am still a 35-year-old youth,” an eyewitness quoted the politician having said.
The people gathered around the former Union Minister inquired about his health, to which he replied “I am fit”.
Meanwhile, son of the veteran politician and former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah tweeted, “Good to see him out & about enjoying his return. I know how much he’s missed this all these months”.
Abdullah, who returned to the Valley on April 9, underwent organ transplant surgery in the United Kingdom in December last year.
His absence in the campaign for Assembly elections held late last year was seen as one of the reasons for NC’s defeat. The party received the least number of seats since its inception nearly seven decades ago. (PTI)
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