Jammu & Kashmir Assembly Elections, 1st Phase: Will J&K Vote For Peace And Democracy, Accept Ex-Militants?
Will the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections herald a new beginning in Jammu and Kashmir and change the restive province forever? Will the voters’ turnout be historic and set the pace for the return of normalcy in the union territories and the masses be happy? The electorate of Jammu will go to the polls to elect 8 MLAs while the Kashmir Valley will choose its 16 representatives as they go to the hustings on Wednesday.
Why Is Wednesday’s Election Important?
The people of Jammu and Kashmir will use their franchise after 10 years, the last assembly elections being held in 2014. The elections that will unfold on Wednesday will be important in the sense that it will be held first time after the abrogation of Article 370 and the subsequent ruthless lockdown. Political observers believe this will allow the masses to express their anger if any and also an opportunity for the Indian state to understand the feelings of the masses and correct its course.
What Will Be Voters’ Turnout On Wednesday?
As far as the Indian state is concerned, its success lies not in the victory of any particular political party, but in holding the election itself. Secondly, the Indian state can also be proud of itself if the voters’ turnout is good and above the average of 50%. The 2014 Jammu and Kashmir Elections were also important because they recorded a massive turnout of 65.50%, the highest voting so far. The overall turnout of the voters in the five Lok Sabha elections has been 58.46%.
The most important question being asked is if the voters’ turnout will surpass these records.
Will Polling Be Peaceful?
The next important issue for which all eyes are set on Wednesday’s polling is whether it will be peaceful. First, the elections are on the target of Pakistan-supported militant outfits, particularly The Resistance Force. This outfit was raised by Pakistan’s ISI in the wake of the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 to exploit the anger of the youth. It has carried out many attacks on innocent unarmed civilians as well as personnel of security forces.
Will Militants Disrupt Elections?
The Pakistan-backed terrorists attacked security forces hours ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Kashmir visit last week, killing two troops. In the encounter that followed the attack, two terrorists were gunned down.
Will the militants attempt to disrupt the election process by targeting personnel of security forces or voters to intimidate them so that the turnout is less than expected, this is the question that has put the people on tenterhooks.
Former Militants Join Electoral Process
Another important aspect of the elections beginning Wednesday is the participation of those former militants who have shunned violence, given up arms, and decided to participate in the election in an attempt to resolve all issues through the democratic process.
After languishing in Delhi’s Tihar Jail for five years for alleged terror funding, Engineer Rashid joined the electoral fray in Lok Sabha and shocked everyone by defeating former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Encouraged by the result of the election, his Awami Ittehad Party is contesting the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly Elections.
Jamaat-e-Islami, the Islamist organization fighting for self-rule in the state, has joined the electoral fray in disguise after 37 years. As it is a banned organization, it cannot fight elections, its members have decided to contest the polls as independents. The organization has joined hands with Rashid’s AIP. As many as 44% of candidates in the first phase of polling are independents, many of them from the Jamaat or the AIP.
It is important to see how these outfits perform in the election process beginning on Wednesday and how they react if they lose these seats. Will they return to militancy or remain committed to the Indian Constitution? It is too early to make a prediction, only the masses will decide it.
