Jammu and Kashmir Regional Divides Underscored

All through antiquated circumstances, Kashmir has remained for quiet consideration, scholarly headway and religious decent with variety and an environment of resilience generally. In the developed geopolitical period, this same decent variety shows the clear picture of the mix of Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism and Buddhism has made state extraordinary. Article 370 gives autonomy to J&K.

In the background of the conflict situation as it has engulfed the state since 1989, the 2009 Parliamentary election in the state of J&K has to be located in the context of gradually expanding democratic space on the one hand and the assertion of separatist politics on the other. With the onset of armed militancy and ascendancy of separatist politics, the democratic political space had suffered a total retreat. It is only since the 2002 Assembly elections, that democratic politics has attained some relevance. However, as the separatist political space remains intact, the two kinds of politicsthe democratic and the separatist -operate side by sideoverlap at a number of points and impact each other in interesting ways. A manifestation of this phenomenon of duality of politics of Kashmir is reflected in the political events before and subsequent to the 2009 Parliamentary election. These elections were preceded by enormous display of separatist sentiments during the 2008 Amarnath agitation and were immediately followed by the massive participation of people in the Assembly elections. Soon after the Parliamentary election, Kashmir witnessed a year of unrest over the rape and killing of two women in 2009 and a mass political upsurge during the summer of 2010.

The Kootneeti , 2020

Rise of Saffron Power , 2018

2004

The 2004 parliamentary elections in Jammu and Kashmir reaffirmed trends already in evidence since the 2002 assembly elections in the state. Despite the continued threat of militancy and the politics of separatism running a course parallel to electoral politics, the improved showing of the People's Democratic Party in the Kashmir Valley and the resurgence of the Congress in Jammu establishes two things. First, that issues relating to a Kashmiri identity have now found a space in the electoral agenda beyond an exclusive, separatist platform and, second, the politics of division in Jammu, either of religion, caste or tribe, as encouraged by the BJP and the National Conference, has been firmly rejected. It remains to be seen whether the centre, in an atmosphere of renewed optimism in the electoral process as several election surveys also revealed, will now attempt to seek some resolution of the long-standing Kashmir issue by involving more groups in the process.

International Letters of Social and Humanistic Sciences, 2015

Paper analyses the 2014 Assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir and focuses on BJP's performance in Jammu region.

2008

Contemporary political situation in Jammu and Kashmir is well understood by the electoral politics of the state since the assembly elections of 1983. This politics of the state is first an analysis of Kashmir's politics with reference to its situation of mititancy and alienation. This analysis of Kashmir's politics is spread over three phases. The first phase between I983 and I987 is the period setting the base for alienation, political upsurge and militancy. The second phase between l9B7 and I996 is the period of political crisis. The third phase between 1996 and 2002 is the period of restoration of the political process. Secondly, it is the analysis of the potitics of Jammu and Ladakhwith reference to widely prevailing interregional and sub-regional discontent. This deals with electoral politics of both these regions in the context of assertion of multiple identities operating both at the regional and sub-regional level. Finally, the significant shift that has taken place ...

The 2014 assembly elections in conflict-ridden Jammu and Kashmir state was in news not only for the massive participation of people but also for the unprecedented performance of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its subsequent sharing of power with ideologically opposite People's Democratic Party (PDP). This election forms a very important moment in the politics of the state which can help us comprehend the intricacies of internal politics of the state in the twofold context of separatism on the one hand, and regional political divergence on the other. This article seeks to focus on the changing nature of party politics in the last one-and-a-half decades and understand its implications in both the contexts. After analyzing the background context, especially separatism in the last two-and-a-half decades and regionalism within the state, the article goes on to analyze the outcome of the result and debate the concerns and challenges thrown up by the realignment of the political forces.

Journal of Indian School of Political Economy