In a surprising turn of events, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided not to contest in Kashmir for the first time since 1996, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi continues his election campaign across India. This decision comes amidst a 35-year uprising against Indian rule in the region, which has claimed tens of thousands of lives.
The main contenders for the three seats in Kashmir are now the local parties, the National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), both of which have expressed opposition to the BJP’s Hindu nationalist agenda. Instead, they have aligned themselves with the Congress party-led opposition alliance.
Analysts and opposition parties believe that the BJP’s absence from the election is due to the likelihood that the outcome will contradict Modi’s narrative of a peaceful and integrated Kashmir following the revocation of its semi-autonomous status in 2019. Despite claiming to bring normalcy to the region, discontent and alienation continue to simmer in the heavily militarized Himalayan region.
While the BJP is contesting in other parts of India and is expected to win a majority of parliament seats, its decision to skip the Kashmir election raises questions about the ground reality in the region. The move to split Jammu and Kashmir into two federally ruled areas has not quelled the underlying tensions, with residents and analysts expressing concerns about the future.
As the election unfolds in Kashmir without the BJP’s presence, the region remains a complex and volatile political landscape, with deep-rooted issues that continue to shape its uncertain future.