Farooq Abdullah vs Norodom Ranariddh

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.

Prince Norodom Ranariddh founded the FUNCINPEC party (National United Front for an Independent, Neutral, Peaceful, and Cooperative Cambodia) as a royalist resistance movement against the Vietnamese-backed government. The party became a major political force.

Following the 1993 UN-supervised elections, Norodom Ranariddh became First Prime Minister of Cambodia in a coalition government with the CPP's Hun Sen as Second Prime Minister. This marked the restoration of constitutional monarchy.

Norodom Ranariddh was overthrown in a violent coup led by Hun Sen, who accused him of plotting with the Khmer Rouge. Ranariddh fled to exile, and the coup led to international condemnation and a temporary suspension of aid.

After international mediation, Norodom Ranariddh returned to Cambodia and was elected President of the National Assembly. He continued to lead FUNCINPEC in a weakened coalition with the CPP.