Respect the mandate: On the 2024 Jammu and Kashmir elections
With elections done and dusted, J&K now must return to statehood
With the support of four independents, the National Conference-Congress-CPI(M) INDIA bloc alliance in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) has now got the endorsement of 53 of the 90 MLAs in the newly-elected Assembly. This should be a boost for Chief Minister-designate Omar Abdullah of the NC as he embarks upon the tough path of fulfilling promises made to the electorate in the Union Territory. The INDIA bloc faced many odds in these elections such as the fragmented party system in the Valley with multiple contenders; the challenge by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) that went on to consolidate its base in Jammu and sought to use the delimitation exercise to manufacture majority support, and a wary electorate, possibly disenchanted with the lack of Statehood, local representation and normal politics ever since the erstwhile State was bifurcated and its special status diluted. But the enthusiastic electorate had a clear message. In the Valley, the INDIA bloc was chosen decisively over rivals who included independents fielded by the banned Jamaat-e-Islami. The National Conference’s steadfast moderation on Kashmiri autonomy and the rights of the citizens in the erstwhile State, the Congress’s message of reconciliation and support towards restoration of Statehood, and the popularity of J&K’s lone Leftist and long-time legislator Mohamad Yousaf Tarigami helped the alliance reap the lion’s share of seats in the Valley and win in reserved seats (for STs) in Jammu, with a respectable vote share across regions and communities.
The NC must now live up to this mandate but the task is not easy. The BJP at the Centre has insisted on a hardline stance towards India’s conflict-prone border province. The elections were also held after its hand was forced by the Supreme Court. While Home Minister Amit Shah has often promised the restoration of statehood, the undue delay in this basic step that would reassure the citizens suggests that the Centre was willing to do so only at a moment of its choosing. But with the electorate ensuring that the INDIA bloc got the reins to power, it would be best if the Centre respected the mandate, accelerated the process of restoring statehood and allowed the newly elected government to fulfil its promises. This is an imperative as even if the autocratic steps of the last few years have not brought back the dark days of the militancy of the 1990s, palpable despondency and disenchantment are evident. Statehood and a vibrant Assembly would help reactivate the political, administrative and civic aspects of democracy beyond electioneering and rule by fiat from the Centre.