JK News Today Commentary
This is election time in Jammu and Kashmir. How could it be when all the electioneering and high stake campaign is ongoing in Bihar? Two by-elections on two sides of the tunnel cannot be termed as election time, as the outcome is not going to make any difference to the electoral mathematics. This, however, was an opportunity to change the dynamics of the political narrative in J&K- to clear all the doubts and uncertainties
Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, during his campaign in Nagrota and Budgam, the two constituencies going to polls on November 11, was loud and clear that whatever be the outcome of the by-elections will not affect his government and its stability. It however, will make a big political statement whether his government’s policies were in consonance with the people’s aspirations that had motivated them to vote for National Conference in 2024 Assembly polls.
There can be no dispute with his assertion, as by-elections make a statement but not the earth-shaking developments. As the bye-elections to Nagrota and Budgam constituencies have come in a year’s time since the Assembly elections were held last year – though these should have been held earlier but the Government was apprehensive about the security in the wake of Pahalgam incident and subsequently during Operation Sindoor, so these were coincided with the Assembly elections in Bihar.
Two things are playing out. BJP leadership is quoting its achievements in Bihar elections in post- Article 370 abrogation and the astounding success of operation Sindoor as an example of the Narendra Modi government’s zero-tolerance of terrorism. Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly stated that if Pakistan undertakes any misadventure in future would be responded with devastating effect . He sums up this in his style , “ Goli ka Jawab Gole se.”
In Jammu and Kashmir, the election campaign has seen high-pitched rhetoric how the removal of Article 370 has changed the scenario in the territory – normalcy and peace is being counted as big achievements . BJP is in the forefront of this campaign . That is natural too , because the party had been agitating for doing away with the Article 370 and special status .
Party has many things to count and show , both in Nagrota and Budgam as to how the abrogation of Article 370 brought an end to the fear , and the idea of fear injected by bombs and bullets exported from Pakistan . This narration has its visibility in the changed situation in Kashmir, where hope and promise have started entrenching in the minds of the people. This articulation has been done by MOS PMO Dr. Jitendra Singh , LoP Sunil Sharma and other leaders of the party .
BJP’s campaign has two positives – it talks of development and terror-free J&K and the way Prime Minister Modi has pushed the development agenda , connecting minds and hearts of the people . In Nagrota , the party’s campaign has been quite high , but what is more significant that its pitch in Budgam is resonating in the air. Its success is that both NC, PDP are targeting the party . That shows Party’s expanding footprints and resonance in Kashmir air.
Budgam was not in the list of constituencies in 2024 where BJP contested elections . It has come in the 2025 by-election necessitated by the resignation of Omar Abdullah from the seat – he had won from two seats ,Ganderbal and Budgam . He decided to retain Ganderbal , and had to resign from Budgam.
National Conference and PDP are fighting , who is responsible for facilitating abrogation of Article 370 . They have traded charges against each other. They are digging the past to put the blame at each other’s door. Their attempt to do so has brought back the memories of the gory past . It also sends a signal that these political groups don’t want to move on . The removal of Article 370 was guided by some logic , not necessarily a particular ideology. It is a universal truth that Jan Sangh and later its reincarnation BJP had launched a movement to do away with Article 370 to foster complete national unity by fully integrating Jammu and Kashmir in the Indian Union , but at the same time , it was also to rid the people of J&K of the terrorism and fear that they were enduring over the decades .
This campaign is rooted in past, whereas it is the time to move on .
