- Kashmir holds first elections since 2019 changes
- Political parties push to restore autonomy
- BJP faces backlash over Article 370 repeal
On a bright September afternoon, a caravan of colorful cars adorned with flags arrives in a village in Indian-administered Kashmir for an election rally.
Iltija Mufti, a PDP leader, gently emerges from one of the cars’ sunroofs.
“Yeli ye Mufti (When Mufti will be in power),” she shouts to a gathering assembled to hear the third-generation leader of one of the region’s most powerful political dynasties.
“Teli Tch’le Sakhti (Then the repression will end),” they say in unison.
Army personnel in protective vests, armed with automatic guns, keep a close eye on every movement.
For the first time in a decade, elections are being held in Kashmir’s 47 assembly seats, which have long been marred by violence and instability. The territory, claimed by both India and Pakistan, has sparked three wars between the nuclear-armed neighbors. Since the 1990s, a violent insurgency against Indian control has killed thousands of people, including civilians and security personnel.
The three-phase elections will also include the 43 seats in the adjoining Hindu-majority Jammu area.
The election is the first since 2019 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government abolished Jammu and Kashmir’s autonomy and statehood and divided it into two federally governed territories.
Since then, the region has been managed by a federal administrator.
Thirteen major parties are aiming for a majority in the 90-seat legislature.
The two largest regional parties are the PDP, led by Mehbooba Mufti, and the National Conference (NC), led by Omar Abdullah. Both Mufti and Abdullah are past chief ministers of the region.
The NC has allied with India’s largest opposition party, Congress.
Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is also running, but only some people are betting on it. The party has a stronghold in Jammu but a limited political basis in the valley.
After a landslide victory in Jammu, the BJP formed a government in collaboration with the PDP. Years of tensions led to the alliance’s dissolution in 2018.
Engineer Rashid is also in the image this time. He is a controversial politician who was released on bail this week after serving five years in prison on terror charges. Rashid made headlines earlier this year after defeating Abdullah in the general election. He contested the election from prison, with his kids spearheading an emotional campaign on the ground.
Elections in Kashmir have historically been divisive, with people and separatist leaders frequently boycotting the process, seeing it as Delhi’s attempt to legitimize its power.
Since 1947, Kashmir has hosted 12 assembly elections. However, voter turnout has frequently been low and accompanied by violence. Militants have stormed voting places, and security personnel have been accused of pushing voters to vote. Since the 1990s, armed groups have kidnapped and assassinated hundreds of political workers.
However, for the first time in decades, separatist leaders are challenging multiple seats.
The most closely monitored of these is the illegal Jamaat-e-Islami (JEI) party, which has teamed up with Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP).
Residents will vote to form a local assembly led by a chief minister and a council of ministers. Though the assembly will have limited powers under Delhi’s sovereignty, it has raised hopes for political reform in the valley.
Almost every opposition party has promised to restore statehood and the region’s special status. The BJP has ruled out reinstating autonomy but has vowed to reinstate statehood in Jammu and Kashmir “at an appropriate time after the elections.
Most locals appeared to accept the loss of their region’s autonomy.
“I don’t think Article 370 will come back unless something miraculous happens,” said Suheel Mir, a research scholar, adding that parties were making pledges about returning autonomy in a “politically charged” environment to gain votes.
Several young men and women expressed concern about political instability, corruption, and, most importantly, unemployment, which is also a severe issue in Jammu.
We want to vote to address our day-to-day concerns. It has nothing to do with the Kashmir problem,” said a man who did not want to be identified.
Others, however, stated that they wanted to avoid giving the idea that they had accepted the events of 2019 and would vote only to oppose the BJP.
We want to send a message to the government that revocation is unacceptable to us no matter what,” said Zameer Ahmad, 38.
When Modi’s government repealed Article 370, the 70-year-old constitutional clause that granted the area autonomy, it cited the need to restore normalcy in India’s sole Muslim-majority province.
The action resulted in a dramatic security clampdown, mass detentions, curfews, and a months-long internet blackout, depriving inhabitants of their rights to work and land.
Since then, Modi and his ministers have spoken extensively about a new era of peace and development in Kashmir, launching projects costing hundreds of millions of dollars as part of a strategy to link the region’s economy with the rest of India. (Until the special status of Jammu and Kashmir was removed, outsiders could not purchase land to conduct business there.
However, people claim they have yet to reap the advantages of such developments and continue to face violence and high unemployment rates.
Thousands of Indian army troops remain stationed there indefinitely, wielding powers that have resulted in decades of human rights atrocities.
“There is a lack of democracy and freedom in Kashmir, and many political activists remain imprisoned,” said political scientist Noor Ahmad Baba.
“The election allows people to decide for or against these changes.”
The shift in mood is noticeable everywhere.
Across Jammu and Kashmir, streets are decked with posters, party flags, and billboards, and men in local bakeries freely debate election results over tea.
“There has been a complete overhaul of traditional political narratives,” stated scholar Tooba Punjabi.
“Previously, public boycotts defined elections. However, it is now used to appoint the appropriate party to repair the damage.”
The shift in political sentiments was also visible earlier this year when Kashmir saw a record 58.46% voter turnout in the parliamentary election.
Many locals are now relying on regional parties to push their demands.
“These parties have acted as a shield between Delhi and Kashmir,” said businessman Tahir Hussain, adding that “it doesn’t matter who forms the government as long as it is local.”
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According to analysts, the BJP’s performance in Jammu could suffer significantly since internal conflict and infighting have hampered its aspirations.
Residents are also becoming increasingly angry with the party’s policies.
Until now, the BJP’s quest for development has resonated with Jammu residents, who expect it will lead to more economic prospects for them.
However, many claim they have yet to see any evidence of change. “Now that Article 370 has been repealed, residents from neighboring states are flocking to Jammu. “Our rights to jobs and land are being taken away,” said Gulchain Singh Charak, a local lawmaker.
Sunil Sethi, the BJP’s chief regional spokesperson, denied the claims.
“We have done massive infrastructure developments, built roads, and brought foreign investors here,” according to him.
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