Jammu and Kashmir conducts initial Assembly elections in ten years

 

Jammu and Kashmir conducts initial Assembly elections in ten years. Voting is currently ongoing in 24 out of the 90 constituencies. This marks the first Assembly elections in the region since 2014 and the first following the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019. 

Additionally, it is the inaugural Assembly election held in Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory. When Article 370 was revoked, the state was reorganized into the Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh. Statehood is a prominent issue in the elections, with promises for its reinstatement made by the BJP, including PM Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, as well as the Congress and the National Conference, who are running in a coalition.

Another significant participant is Mehbooba Mufti's Peoples Democratic Party. Other notable parties consist of Abdul Ghani Lone's People's Conference, Ghulam Nabi Azad's Democratic Progressive Azad Party, and Altaf Bukhari's Apni Party. A noteworthy development is the participation of prohibited Jamaat-e-Islami in the elections, endorsing certain candidates. Polling is scheduled in the following constituencies: four seats in Pulwama, two in Shopian, three in Kulgam, seven in Anantnag, three in Kishtwar, three in Doda, and two each in Ramban and Banihal. Eight of the constituencies are located in Jammu and 16 are in the Kashmir valley. 

Pulwama is among the constituencies attracting close attention for the election contest. PDP youth leader Waheed ur Rehman Para, a first-time election candidate, is facing off against former party veteran Mohammad Khalil Band, who is now affiliated with the National Conference. Mr. Para, aged 36, supported Mr. Band as a youth leader from the PDP during the 2008 and 2014 elections. 

He is currently out on bail in a case related to the strict anti-terrorism law, UAPA. Mr. Band, aged 73, has served as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) thrice. The constituency is traditionally held by the People's Democratic Party (PDP), but the party is encountering challenges in the upcoming election due to the candidacy of Talat Majeed, supported by the Jamaat.

The Jamaat has formed a partnership with the Awami Ittehad Party led by Engineer Rashid, who achieved a surprising victory over former chief minister Omar Abdullah in the Lok Sabha elections, garnering attention for his political skills. The constituency of Srigufwara-Bijbehara in South Kashmir is set to witness Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP Chief Mehbooba Mufti, participate in her inaugural Assembly election. This decision comes following the former chief minister's choice to abstain from entering the electoral race. Ms. Mufti, aged 37, is in competition with the National Conference's Bashir Ahmad Shah and the BJP's Jammu and Kashmir Vice President, Sofi Yousuf. 

In Kulgam, the CPM's Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami aims to protect a seat he has held since 1996, despite facing a new challenge from a candidate supported by the Jamaat. In an interview with NDTV, Mr. Tarigami, the consensus candidate of the Congress-National Conference, stated that the Jamaat has a history of changing stance on entering electoral politics. He emphasized that there is no significant increase in support for the party in the region. Recent months have witnessed a rise in terrorist activities in Jammu and Kashmir, with three encounters occurring last week resulting in the deaths of two Army personnel and at least five terrorists.