The deep import of Tuesday’s Assembly election result is still being processed across Jammu and Kashmir. And it will continue to be analyzed in the coming days. The voters of the union territory have delivered a clear message through their electoral choices. More so in Kashmir Valley where a crowded electoral scene was threatening to divide the mandate But the voters united in the face of such attempts. As the National Conference (NC) and Congress alliance bask in their win, it is the wisdom of the voters that has actually won. For their preference showed a profound understanding of the electoral strategies at play.
This election highlighted a deep awareness among Kashmiri voters about the dangers of a fractured mandate. This could have produced a government comprising smaller parties and independents without a meaningful governance agenda. But people in the Valley rallied to vote largely for the National Conference, the main regional party, just as the voters in Jammu did so for the BJP.
Now that the NC-Congress coalition is set to form the government, having secured the clear majority, it is important that both Kashmir and Jammu regions have a stake in the elected government. More so, when both the regions have been seeking a democratically elected government over the past five years.
That said, the victory does not mean an easy path ahead for the NC-Congress alliance. They now face the daunting task of governing with their hands tied. Being a union territory, an elected chief minister in Jammu and Kashmir will have fewer powers. Most of the authority is vested in Lieutenant Governor. Unless the LG-CM relationship is managed and negotiated well, this could give rise to recurrent friction akin to what has been happening in New Delhi between the LG and the AAP government. .The promises made during the campaign, by the NC —such as the restoration of statehood and Article 370—are unlikely to be fulfilled under the current framework – more so, the latter which is considered a fait accompli by the BJP. This casts doubt on the alliance’s ability to deliver on some major points in its manifesto.
But the initial signs show an attempt by the NC to reach out to the central government. Omar Abdullah’s acknowledgment of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s wishes shows a cautious optimism about collaboration with the Centre. PM Modi also lauded the NC for its performance, while acknowledging the importance of these elections. In a post on X, he assured the people that his government “will keep working for the welfare of Jammu and Kashmir.” Here’s hoping that the spirit of cooperation between the two continues as this is very critical for the good governance in the union territory.
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