Prime Minister Narendra Modi is criss-crossing India in a marathon election campaign but, for the first time since 1996, his Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not contesting in Kashmir, where a 35-year uprising against Indian rule has killed tens of thousands of people.
The main contenders for the three seats in the Muslim-majority region are powerful local parties. The National Conference and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) will contest against each other. Both oppose the Hindu nationalist BJP and align with the Congress party-led opposition alliance.
Analysts and opposition parties suggest the BJP’s decision to abstain may challenge Modi’s narrative. The election’s outcome could contradict his portrayal of a more integrated Kashmir. This shift occurred after the region lost its semi-autonomous status in 2019.
The BJP, with allies, contests across India and is expected to win most of parliament’s 543 seats with its Hindu-first image.
“Why are they absent from the election?” asked Omar Abdullah, a leader of the National Conference and a former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir state.
“Clearly there is a gap between what the BJP claims to have done and the reality on the ground,” he said, speaking in his home in Kashmir’s main city, Srinagar.
Amidst contentious claims of integration, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi chose to abstain from the election process in Kashmir. Critics question the effectiveness of India’s integration policies, particularly regarding the region’s political autonomy.
However, proponents of the government’s policies assert that it signifies a strategic approach to address longstanding issues in Kashmir.
Ultimately, Modi’s decision to abstain from the election raises pertinent questions about the path to achieving true integration in Kashmir.
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