Campaigning for the first phase of J&K elections has ended, which issues dominated?

J&K Election 2024 / Campaigning for the first phase of J&K elections has ended, which issues dominated?

J&K Election 2024 - Campaigning for the first phase of J&K elections has ended, which issues dominated?

J&K Election 2024: The campaign for the first phase of assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir has ended today. Voting will be held on 24 seats in 7 districts on Wednesday, September 18. In this election, the main contest is between BJP, PDP, National Conference-Congress alliance, Engineer Rashid's Awami Ittehad Party and the alliance of banned Jamaat-e-Islami in the struggle for majority for the 90-member assembly. Apart from this, Sajjad Gani Lone's People's Conference, Altaf Bukhari's own party and Ghulam Nabi Azad's party can also play an important role in some seats.

Election campaign: Strategies of major parties

BJP put all its strength in Jammu. Party president Amit Shah released the manifesto on September 6 and after that addressed several rallies in Jammu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a gathering in Doda in Jammu division, but did not campaign in Kashmir. Ram Madhav took charge of BJP's Kashmir campaign.

Congress campaigned mixedly in both Jammu and Kashmir regions. Rahul Gandhi held rallies in Ramban and Anantnag in Jammu, while Mallikarjun Kharge held public meetings in Srinagar and Anantnag. The Congress talked about restoring statehood, but its stand on Article 370 remained unclear.

Mehbooba Mufti and her daughter Iltija Mufti took charge of the election campaign on behalf of the PDP. Farooq Abdullah and his son of the National Conference also worked on their front. A new development came to light when Engineer Rashid got bail in the UAPA case and started active participation in the election campaign.

Key issues: From Article 370 to unemployment

1. Article 370 and statehood: This is the first election after the removal of Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir. In this election, Article 370, 35A and the demand for restoration of statehood have become major issues. Regional parties like National Conference and PDP are talking about the return of Article 370, while BJP presented its removal as its achievement. Congress talked about restoration of statehood, but did not take any clear stand on Article 370.

2. Delhi's proxy: During the first phase of elections, various parties called each other a proxy of Delhi or BJP. Engineer Rashid's bail and Jamaat-e-Islami's electoral participation further fuelled the issue. PDP and National Conference saw Rashid's bail as a move by BJP, while Rashid questioned the alliance of BJP and PDP.

3. Autonomy and jail-free Kashmir: This is the first assembly election in which no organisation is talking about boycotting the elections. The participation of separatist leaders in the elections and the demand for autonomy gave a new direction to the electoral debate. The parties also raised the promise of jail-free Kashmir loudly, along with the demand for abolition of black laws like PSA, UAPA and AFSPA.

4. Unemployment, corruption and fear: Unemployment and corruption have also been major issues. The BJP blamed the previous governments, while other parties blamed the policies of the current government. All parties promised to create employment opportunities, but did not give any clear plan on its reality. The feeling of fear and insecurity has also emerged as an important issue in the election environment, which various parties presented in their own way.

This first phase of election campaign has made it clear that the electoral landscape of Jammu and Kashmir is extremely complex and diverse. Electoral issues, strategies of parties and expectations of the public have brought this election to a crucial juncture. Now it remains to be seen whom the voters choose on September 18 and which party gets the majority.