NewsPlainly card. Illustration, not a photograph.
Why it matters
A serving chief minister has said in public which Bigg Boss 20 contestant he would vote for, and Qazi's fans are sharing it widely. It does not change how the show works: the winner is decided by viewers' votes.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said he would vote for singer Qazi Touqeer to win Bigg Boss 20. The Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer remarks came in an interview on journalist Shubhankar Mishra’s YouTube channel, Hindustan Times and Asianet Newsable reported on 3 November 2026.
NewsPlainly did not watch the interview. The quotes below are as those reports and Deccan Chronicle give them; the reports do not say when the interview was recorded.
Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer remarks: what he said
Omar said he does not watch Bigg Boss, Hindustan Times reported, but knew Qazi was in the house. He said he had seen Qazi sing at one or two concerts and that he sings well, and that he had read about his Bigg Boss stint in the newspaper. In Hindi, he added that quite a few fights were going on in the show because of Qazi.
When the interviewer told him Qazi could win, Omar welcomed it. “First we won the Ranji Trophy; now if we win Bigg Boss, then it’s a good thing,” he said, according to Hindustan Times and Deccan Chronicle. He also said he had heard that host Salman Khan had called Qazi out over his remarks about another housemate’s life.
Then came the line at the centre of the Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer story. Omar asked whether the winner is chosen by public voting, and said that if so, “I should vote for him.” He also recalled that Qazi had won the singing show Fame Gurukul “suddenly, and nobody expected it”.
The table sets out each of the Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer remarks beside what it refers to, as the reports describe it.
| What Omar Abdullah said | What it refers to, as reported |
|---|---|
| He does not watch Bigg Boss and read about Qazi in the newspaper | Qazi is a contestant in Bigg Boss 20, hosted by Salman Khan |
| He has seen Qazi sing at one or two concerts | Qazi is a singer who first became known on Fame Gurukul in 2005 |
| Many fights in the show are because of Qazi | Hindustan Times describes Qazi as one of the most entertaining contestants this season |
| Salman called Qazi out over remarks on a housemate’s life | Omar’s own words; he said he had heard this |
| “First we won the Ranji Trophy” | Omar’s words; the reports do not say which season he meant |
| “Then I should vote for him” | Said after asking whether the winner is chosen by public vote |
Who Qazi Touqeer is: from Fame Gurukul to Bigg Boss 20
Qazi won Fame Gurukul in 2005 together with Ruprekha Banerjee, Hindustan Times and Asianet Newsable reported; Asianet said the show ran on Sony TV. Singer Arijit Singh was also a contestant and finished sixth, according to Hindustan Times.
Bigg Boss 20 is Qazi’s return to mainstream television after nearly 21 years, Hindustan Times wrote. His career did not take off as expected after the Fame Gurukul win, and inside the house he has said that films he signed after the show were shelved and that he turned down an Ektaa Kapoor project because he was busy with other work, according to the same report.
In the house, his catchphrase “I am a rockstar, baby” has become a talking point. Hindustan Times reported that Salman Khan called him the only rockstar in the house during the first Weekend Ka Vaar, and that Arijit Singh, Sara Ali Khan, Farrhana Bhatt, Ayushmann Khurrana and Sonakshi Sinha have praised him.
Where Qazi Touqeer stands in Bigg Boss 20 week 9
Qazi is not among the six housemates nominated for eviction in week 9. In the Chain Reaction nomination task on 2 November, Manish Goel chose to end the chain, which left Qazi, rapper Yung DSA, Kanika Mann, Gullu and Love Gill safe for the week, according to Times Now, as NewsPlainly reported.
So the week 9 vote, which decides this week’s eviction, is not about Qazi Touqeer. Bigg Boss 20 has more weeks to run. The vote Omar spoke of is the one that will decide the season’s winner, and the reports read give no date for the finale.
How the remarks travelled
The Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer exchange spread quickly. His comments are going viral among the singer’s fans on social media, Asianet Newsable reported. Most of the 10 or more outlets that carried the Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer story on 3 November led with the voting line.
The reports read carry no reaction to the Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer remarks from Qazi, who is inside the house, or from his team, and no comment from the show’s makers.
What is not known
The reports do not give the date of the interview, the full exchange around the Omar Abdullah Bigg Boss comments, or which remark by Qazi he meant when he spoke of Salman’s rebuke. NewsPlainly will update this Omar Abdullah Qazi Touqeer report if the full interview adds to what is set out here.
Frequently asked questions
What did Omar Abdullah say about Qazi Touqeer?
In an interview on Shubhankar Mishra's YouTube channel, he said he had seen Qazi sing at concerts and that if the Bigg Boss 20 winner is chosen by public vote, "I should vote for him", according to Hindustan Times and Asianet Newsable.
Does Omar Abdullah watch Bigg Boss?
No. He said he does not watch the show and read about Qazi's stint in the newspaper, Hindustan Times reported.
Is Qazi Touqeer nominated in Bigg Boss 20 this week?
No. He was among those left safe in week 9 when Manish Goel ended the Chain Reaction nomination task on 2 November, according to Times Now.