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India’s Prime Minister’s hopes that his party will come to power in Kashmir ended Tuesday with the defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party in the first elections since the central government stripped the region of its autonomy and statehood. It was shattered.
Instead, the election handed a landslide victory to India’s main opposition party, the Congress, and its regional partner, the Jammu and Kashmir National Congress (JKNC). The Jammu and Kashmir National Congress (JKNC) had come together to defeat Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). rules at the national level.
According to the results announced on Tuesday afternoon, the Congress-JKNC alliance won 48 seats, giving it a comfortable majority, while the BJP won 29 seats.
The Himalayan region of Kashmir has been disputed between India and Pakistan since independence, with three wars fought over the territory and parts of it currently controlled by both countries. Since the 1990s, it has also been home to a violent insurgency loyal to and supported by Pakistan, which has left tens of thousands dead and remains a hotbed of conflict.
Local government elections have not been held in Indian-administered Kashmir for 10 years. The polls, which began in stages in September, are particularly significant since 2019, when the Modi government revoked Article 370, which had given Jammu and Kashmir a special form of autonomy since independence. It was seen as such.
The Modi government’s decision to strip Kashmir of its autonomy was a long-standing commitment of his Hindu nationalist party. The move was followed by a harsh crackdown and sparked outrage from a wide range of Kashmiris, who saw it as an attack on Kashmiri identity and an attempt to change the demographics of the country’s only Muslim-majority region. I was visited.
Kashmir’s local government elections have historically been marred by boycotts and low turnout, but many voters have had a political voice since the removal of Article 370 five years ago, and many voters have expressed concern about the Modi government’s actions. He said this was his first opportunity to express his dissatisfaction. The polls were marked by noisy campaigning and peaceful voting, with turnout of 64%.
Waqar Ahmad Wani, a student from Srinagar, said, “For the past five years, the Bharatiya Janata Party has been treating Kashmiris harshly. We have not had the freedom to speak out on anything. We hope that will change. I hope.”
After the results were announced, JKNC leader Omar Abdullah, who is scheduled to take over as prime minister, declared to reporters that “Democracy has permeated in Jammu and Kashmir after many years” and restored statehood to Prime Minister Modi. asked to do so. region.
Abdullah, one of the political leaders jailed by Modi’s government in the 2019 crackdown, said: “With this mission, it is clear that the Bharatiya Janata Party tried to target and undermine us, but also their own It means that its existence has been wiped out.”
This victory is likely to be a boost for Congress and the opposition coalition. June’s general election has already exceeded expectations, returning Prime Minister Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party to power for a third term, but with a smaller majority.
Despite the defeat, Kashmir’s BJP leadership was positive about the outcome, especially in the region’s Hindu-majority areas where the party had an advantage.
“This is the best performance of the Bharatiya Janata Party so far,” said Jitendra Singh, a senior leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party and a cabinet minister in the Modi government. “We contested this election purely on issues of development and tried to rise above caste, creed and religion and give a new culture to this election.”
The results of local elections were also announced on Tuesday, with the BJP managing to retain power in Haryana, which ensured its continued dominance in the so-called “Hindi heartland” of north India. There was also reason to celebrate elsewhere.
Thanks to measures introduced by Prime Minister Modi after revoking Article 370 in 2019, the central Bharatiya Janata Party government still has significant powers over Kashmir, but regional assemblies have been largely stripped of their influence and given more ceremonial control. plays a role.
Abdul Majeed Malik, a Kashmiri voter, said he doubted whether the elections would bring about much change, but said he was “relieved that the Bharatiya Janata Party was contained.”
“This government can act as a buffer between New Delhi and the people of Kashmir,” he said. “They will at least be able to deter further attacks on our identity and rights.”
