Lok Sabha Election 2024: United in Jammu, separated in Kashmir — the tale of INDIA bloc

INDIA bloc was formed in July 2023 to dislodge the BJP at the Centre.

Jammu and Kashmir is perhaps the best example of the contradictions that plague the opposition Indian National Developmental Alliance (INDIA), which has come together to stop the BJP-led NDA from winning a rare third term when the voting for the Lok Sabha elections begin on April 19.

Peoples’ Democratic Party’s (PDP) naming of three candidates for the Valley has not just sealed the fate of the INDIA bloc in Kashmir but has once again shone the spotlight on the competing interests of the constituents.

While the Indian National Developmental Alliance (INDIA) has collapsed in Kashmir, in the Jammu region, it remains intact.

PDP decided to field candidates after its INDIA bloc partner the National Conference (NC) refused to let go of the Anantnag-Rajouri Lok Sabha seat, which the Mehbooba Mufti’s party was eyeing.

“If PDP-NC would have contested the polls jointly, they had better prospects. Now, all three seats of the Valley are open, and the poll battle has become tough. It is no more a one-sided contest,” a Srinagar-based journalist said on condition of anonymity.

After the abrogation of Article 370 political dynamics have changed in the Valley and people in large numbers are expected to come out and vote but the severing of ties between the two parties has upset them, he added.

Read: Farooq Abdullah not to contest polls due to health reasons, says Omar Abdullah

In the 2019 election, the seat went to polls in three phases due to security concerns but still recorded a voter turnout of a mere 8.96 percent. Of the total 13,97,272 registered voters, only 1,24,896 exercised their franchise.

NC’s Hasnain Masoodi, a former judge of the Jammu and Kashmir High Court, defeated his nearest rival Congress’ Ghulam Ahmad Mir by 6,676 votes. Mufti finished third.

This time, the number of voters has gone up to more than 18 lakh after the delimitation exercise in May 2022 which saw parts of Rajouri and Poonch districts of Jammu being included in the constituency.

Battle of former CMs

While announcing the decision to contest the three Valley seats, NC vice president and former J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah said the PDP didn’t have enough support on the ground and his party won’t concede the Anantnag seat.

The PDP’s decision to field candidates has made it a multi-corner contest in Kashmir and the Anantnag contest would be closely watched, political experts say.

The National Conference has fielded tribal leader Mian Altaf from Anantnag, while Mufti is in the running for the PDP. The Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) has fielded its chairman and former Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad. Azad, like Mufti, is a former chief minister.

The BJP is expected to announce its candidates soon. It fancies its chances on the seat, especially after the Centre granted scheduled tribe status to the Pahari community, which has a sizable presence in the segment.

Read more: PDP may be down, but we are not out: Mehbooba Mufti responds to Omar Abdullah on seat-sharing

National Conference, too, hasn’t announced candidates for the remaining Baramulla and Srinagar Lok Sabha seats. The PDP has fielded former Rajya Sabha MP Fayaz Mir from Baramulla and youth leader Waheed Para from Srinagar.

The Baramulla seat is also expected to see a tight poll contest, with People’s Conference chief Sajad Lone jumping into the fray.

The polling for the five Jammu and Kashmir seats will be conducted in five phases, with one constituency going to vote in one phase.

The Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency in Jammu votes in Phase 1 on April 19, Jammu in Phase 2 on April 26, Anantnag-Rajouri in Phase 3 on May 7, Srinagar in Phase 4 on May 13 and Baramulla in Phase 5 on May 20.

The PDP and NC have come together to back the Congress in the Jammu region and haven’t fielded their candidates. The Congress has fielded Raman Bhalla from the Jammu-Poonch seat against BJP’s Jugal Kishore Sharma and Choudhary Lal Singh from Udhampur-Kathua seat against minister of state in PMO Jitendra Singh.

How the INDIA bloc going separate ways in Kashmir and sticking together in Jammu will play out will only be known on June 4 when the votes are counted.