PM Modi, Omar Abdullah and Engineer Rashid
The National Congress alliance will form the government in Jammu and Kashmir after 15 years. Omar Abdullah will be crowned with power again. The BJP may have been denied the right to form the government in Jammu and Kashmir, but that was not the case with Ajay in Jammu and Kashmir. In this way, the political edge of the BJP’s Hindutva and nationalist politics was not diminished, but the ringleaders of the separatists who descended on the valley were neutralized. The people of Kashmir have completely rejected the separatists.
After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, many such faces contested the assembly elections who had earlier been associated with separatism or had separatist ideology. Groups like the Jamaat-e-Islami decided to abandon their strategy of boycotting the elections and enter the mainstream. Around 30 separatist and Jamaat-e-Islami-affiliated leaders contested the 2024 assembly elections, but no separatist leader was able to win the elections, thus sending a political message.
The crown of power haunts Omar Abdullah
Ten years later, the results of the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir favored the National Congress and Congress alliance. The National Congress won 42 seats and became the largest party, while its ally Congress won 6 seats. The BJP won 29 seats. At this point, the Congress-National Congress alliance returned to power with an absolute majority. The National Congress secured a majority of seats in the Kashmir Valley region, a clear indication of the unilateral vote of the Muslim community in favor of the National Congress. The People’s Democratic Party has to bear the consequences of collaborating with the BJP to govern. From the 28 seats the People’s Democratic Party won in 2014, it was reduced to just three seats in Kupwara, Pulwama and Tral. People’s Democratic Party chairman Mehbooba Mufti’s daughter Iltija Mufti and senior leader Mehboob Baig lost the election. In this case, Omar Abdullah will once again become the chief minister.
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BJP gains Hindutva advantage in Jammu
While the National Conference dominates in Kashmir, the BJP’s dominance is evident in Jammu region. The BJP may not hold the keys to power in Jammu and Kashmir, but it is clear that the edges of its Hindutva and nationalist politics have not diminished. After the abrogation of Article 370 and 35A in Jammu and Kashmir, the BJP maintained its dominance in the Jammu region and emerged victorious again. In Jammu and Kashmir, 60 seats are dominated by Muslims and 30 seats by Hindus. Of the 30 Hindu-dominated seats, the BJP won 26 and three from Muslim areas. A better performance by the BJP in Jammu and Kashmir compared to the 2014 elections will not only boost the party’s confidence but also make it look more aggressive.
The lieutenant governor has great power
Omar Abdullah may hold the position of Chief Minister, but as a federal territory, the Lieutenant Governor has great powers. In this case, Raj Bhavan’s voice will be louder than that of the CM. In this case, if politics in the Kashmir Valley changes, the BJP will be able to do wonders in the future. Even after becoming chief minister, Omar Abdullah was unable to restore Article 370 and obtain full statehood. Both decisions have to be taken by the Centre. In this scenario, the BJP as the main opposition party will play a very important role in the politics of Jammu and Kashmir.
Public rejects separatists
After the abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, separatists also participated in the assembly elections to join mainstream politics. In the Kashmir Valley, candidates backed by the Jamaat-e-Islami and its affiliates came to try their luck. The people of Kashmir have completely rejected the separatists. Not only that, the party of MP Engineer Rashid was also wiped out. Among the separatists, Sanyal Raishi of Kulgam, Ajaz Ahmed Mir of Janapura, Dr Talat Majeed of Pulwama, Baramulla Abdul Rehman Sala, Manzoor Kalu of Soboro and Karimullah Long of Rangeit lost the election.
Ejaz Guru fiasco
Afzal Guru’s brother Ejaz Guru was convicted of attacking Parliament and suffered a crushing defeat in Sopore. Ejaz Guru got 129 votes, less than NOTA. In this way, engineer Rashid’s brother and AIP candidate lost to Khurshid Ahmed. Sarjan Barkati contested from Beerwah-Ganderbal but failed to win and got only 418 votes. Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad party fielded 44 candidates in the parliamentary elections, many of whom had their savings confiscated. Engineer Rashid’s close associate and prominent businessman Sheikh Ashiq Hussain received only 963 votes, lower than NOTA. NOTA received 1,713 votes.
Who does the public trust?
In Jammu and Kashmir, the Jamaat-e-Islami party fielded four candidates and backed four others, but all but Raishi lost their deposits. Former JKLF commander Mohammad Farooq Khan alias Saifullah contested the election on the SP ticket from Habba Kadar constituency but lost to NC’s Shamim Firdous ). In this way, the people of the valley rejected the separatists and sent a significant political message. This is a clear indication of the trust that the people of post-change Jammu and Kashmir have in mainstream political parties.
