Chief minister Omar Abdullah on Friday left any bitterness behind to join the funeral of friend-turned-foe Devender Singh Rana, whose death on Thursday evening united politicians from Kashmir and Jammu in grief.

Rana, 59, the younger brother of Union minister Jitendra Singh, was a BJP leader and MLA from Nagrota in Jammu. He was also a prominent businessman.

For years, the two brothers had represented ideological opposites, the “inclusive” (secular) Rana marking a contrast to the “divisive” Jitendra. The grapevine had it that the siblings didn’t get along because of their ideological differences.

But Rana shocked everyone by dumping the National Conference for the BJP in 2021, prompting critics to question his secular credentials.

Rana had campaigned and won the Assembly polls, but family sources said he had not been keeping well for the past two years. He died at a hospital in Gurgaon, Haryana.

One surprise visitor at his home, to join the mourning, was the chief minister.

Early on Friday, Omar had shared old pictures showing him with Rana, both enjoying the waters of a gushing stream in the Valley.

“The terrible news from late last night isn’t really sinking in. I know the last few years have been marked by our differences Devender but I prefer to focus on the fun times we shared together, the excellent work we did together & the memories,” Omar wrote on X.

“You have been taken from us all too soon & will be missed. May your soul rest in peace now DSR. My heart goes out to your family as I struggle to find the words to convey my condolences to them.”

The Jammu politician had served as Omar’s political adviser during his first stint as chief minister between 2009 and 2014. He became the face of the National Conference in the Jammu region when Omar appointed him provincial chief, ignoring other senior leaders.

When Rana defected in 2021, he followed it up with a fierce anti-National Conference campaign, personally targeting Omar and his father Farooq Abdullah on several occasions.

National Conference sources say his campaign was deeply hurtful to the Abdullahs, who had for years considered him a part of the family.

Rana claimed to have left the National Conference for the sake of Jammu, alleging the region was not getting its due under a Valley-based leadership.

In September, he said Omar’s criticism of the BJP was hypocritical and that he had in 2014 gone with a “begging bowl” to the party leadership in Delhi, seeking a tie-up and ready to accept a BJP (Hindu) chief minister. Rana claimed Omar was rebuffed by the BJP.

He also alleged that the National Conference would end its alliance with the Congress and align with the BJP for the sake of power.

Omar had hit back, accusing Rana of betraying him and Jammu. “The man who stayed with NC for 25 years and did not speak the truth, do you expect him to say (the) truth now?” he had asked.

On Friday, Farooq mourned Rana’s death and condoled with the family.

“We had good relations with him, but in 2021 he left the National Conference. We never made any statement against him. Death is inevitable and spares no one. Whoever has come has to go,” he said.