The changed political atmosphere in Kashmir has increased the tension of the NC

J&K Election 2024: The second phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections is going to be held on September 25, in which votes will be cast on 26 seats. This phase includes important seats of Srinagar district like Hazratbal, Khanyar, Habbakadal, Lal Chowk, Chanpora, Zadibal, Idgah and Central Shalteng. Along with this, voting will also be held in Budgam, Beerwah, Khansahib, Charar-e-Sharif and Chadoora seats. In this election phase, National Conference (NC) leader Omar Abdullah is in the fray from Budgam. The special thing is that this time Omar is contesting from two seats, Ganderbal and Budgam, but his party faces many challenges on these seats.

PDP's tough fight apart from Gupkar alliance

Mehbooba Mufti's party People's Democratic Party (PDP), which was earlier part of the Gupkar alliance, is contesting alone this time. This has had a direct impact on the National Conference, as the PDP has given a tough fight to the NC on many important seats. Especially in seats like Ganderbal and Budgam, the PDP has fielded strong candidates. In Ganderbal, Omar Abdullah is facing PDP's Aga Syed, who is giving him a tough challenge. In such a situation, the National Conference has to work hard to keep its position strong.

Increasing number of independent candidates

The biggest challenge in front of the National Conference in this election is the abundance of independent candidates. Many independent candidates, who have been associated with the party earlier or have entered the electoral fray after being angry with other parties, are trying to break into the traditional vote bank of NC. The entry of these independent candidates in the electoral fray is increasing the possibility of division of votes, which may cause loss to the party.

Candidates with criminal charges and PDP's strategy

Some candidates of the National Conference have serious criminal charges against them, and the local leaders of the PDP are raising this issue loudly in front of the public. This is also affecting the electoral position of NC. Local leaders of PDP and independent candidates have made this issue a part of their electoral strategy, creating resentment among the voters.

Entry of separatists into politics

This time the election has brought a big change in the politics of Kashmir. Separatist leaders, who used to boycott the elections earlier, are now themselves entering the electoral fray. This is the first assembly election after the removal of Article 370, in which separatist leaders are also trying their luck. This change is proving to be a serious challenge for the National Conference, because the entry of these leaders in the election can make a big dent in the traditional vote bank of NC.

Internal challenges and lack of morale

The National Conference is facing internal problems along with external challenges. The defeat of Omar Abdullah at the hands of Engineer Rashid in the Lok Sabha elections had lowered the morale of the party workers. The effect of this defeat can also be seen in the assembly elections. The defeat of the big leaders of the party has created an atmosphere of psychological disappointment among the workers, which has become necessary for the party to overcome. To deal with this situation, Omar Abdullah himself is working hard in the field and putting all his strength into the election campaign.

Conclusion

The second phase of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections can prove to be extremely challenging for the National Conference. The participation of PDP, independent candidates, criminal charges and separatist leaders has made this election quite complicated. It will depend on the hard work of Omar Abdullah and the strategy of the party how NC deals with these challenges and manages to maintain its hold in the Kashmir Valley.