The results of the parliamentary elections in the Indian Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) highlight the ongoing political divide between the Jammu region and the Kashmir valley, as well as the strong public opposition against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).
The BJP emerged victorious in both the Jammu and Udhampur constituencies, which are located in the predominantly Hindu Jammu region, a traditional stronghold of the party.
Aware of potential rejection from voters, the BJP chose not to contest in the valley.
Instead, the party supported “proxies” such as the People’s Conference, Apni Party, and the Democratic Progressive Azad Party in the recent elections.
However, these proxy candidates performed poorly, failing to secure a significant number of votes and losing their security deposits.
In the Kashmir valley, the National Conference (NC) won two out of the three constituencies, with the third seat going to a jailed independent candidate named ‘Engineer Rashid.’
The voters in Kashmir rejected candidates from prominent political dynasties, such as former chief ministers Omar Abdullah and Mehbooba Mufti.
The election results are expected to have a significant impact on the political landscape of Kashmir.
This election marked the first general election in J&K since the revocation of Article 370 in August 2019, which led to the splitting of J&K into two union territories.
While the Jammu region supported the revocation of autonomy, the Kashmir valley strongly opposed it.
The recent election, with its unprecedented voter turnout in the valley, served as a test of the public sentiment since the revocation of Article 370.
Various politicians have interpreted the high voter turnout differently, with some seeing it as a vindication of the decision to revoke Article 370, while others view it as an expression of anger against the BJP.
The election results reflect the Kashmiri opposition to the BJP’s decision to revoke autonomy and suppress dissent.
The BJP’s attempts to weaken the NC and the PDP, who opposed the revocation, only succeeded with the PDP. The NC performed well despite some setbacks.
The victory of Engineer Rashid in Baramulla signifies a resurgence of Kashmiri secessionism, challenging the current political landscape.
As J&K prepares for upcoming assembly elections, political parties will analyze the general election results to shape their strategies moving forward.
The prospects of banned organizations like Jamaat-e-Islami participating in the elections add another layer of complexity to the political scenario in Kashmir.
The resurgent NC will face competition from Islamists and separatists in the upcoming elections, setting the stage for a potentially dynamic political landscape.
All eyes will be on the BJP as it decides whether to contest directly or rely on proxy candidates in the upcoming elections.