image credit - Waseem Andrabi
Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections: Key Developments
Voting is in progress for the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections. Ballots are being cast in 24 constituencies out of the 90 total seats in the state.
Historic First Since Article 370
These are the first Assembly elections since 2014 and the first since the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. Jammu and Kashmir lost its special status with the abrogation and was reorganized into two Union Territories—Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.
Statehood Restoration at the Forefront
Statehood has become a key election issue. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah, has promised to restore it. The Congress and the National Conference, which are in an alliance, have also pledged to bring back statehood.
Main Contenders
Mehbooba Mufti’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Abdul Ghani Lone’s People’s Conference, Ghulam Nabi Azad’s Democratic Progressive Azad Party, and Altaf Bukhari’s Apni Party are all major contenders. An unexpected development in this election is the participation of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami, which is backing certain candidates.
Polling Locations and Contestants
Voting is taking place in 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. Out of these 24 constituencies, 16 are in the Kashmir Valley and eight are in Jammu.
Close Contest in Pulwama
The Pulwama constituency is attracting significant attention. PDP youth leader Waheed ur Rehman Para, running for the first time, faces off against Mohammad Khalil Band, a former PDP veteran now with the National Conference. Para, who previously campaigned for Band, is on bail in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The PDP stronghold faces additional pressure from Talat Majeed, a candidate supported by Jamaat-e-Islami.
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Srigufwara-Bijbehara Showdown
In the Srigufwara-Bijbehara constituency, Iltija Mufti, daughter of PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti, is contesting her first Assembly election. She faces National Conference’s Bashir Ahmad Shah and BJP’s Sofi Yousuf, the party’s Jammu and Kashmir Vice President.
A Battle for Kulgam
In Kulgam, CPM candidate Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami is defending a seat he has held since 1996. However, this time, he is facing a challenge from a candidate backed by the Jamaat. Tarigami, the Congress-National Conference consensus candidate, has downplayed the Jamaat’s influence, stating that the group’s involvement in electoral politics is not new.
Rising Security Concerns
Recent months have seen a rise in terror incidents in Jammu and Kashmir. Last week, three encounters occurred, resulting in the deaths of two Army personnel and at least five terrorists. This heightened security concern remains a crucial backdrop to the elections.
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