India, Nov. 17 -- As the elected government enters its second year, the promised statehood seems more distant than ever. So much so that even the Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has grown despondent. He told reporters as much during the recent Assembly session.

"I was hopeful from day one about the restoration of statehood," he said. "Now, the hope has diminished. The longer you keep us waiting and delay statehood, the less hopeful we'll be."

He has now sought a timeline for the restoration of statehood.

Since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019, the NC has found itself navigating an uneasy space, attempting to reassert its relevance in a Union Territory stripped of its constitutional status, while facing internal dissent from se...