As the new set of politicians is ready to emerge as the new force in Kashmir politics, the traditional Valley based parties are losing the way and are slowly turning into non-entities.
The new set of politicians comprises mostly of rebels from PDP, Congress and the leaders, who were the heads of small parties in the Valley.
The political discourse in Kashmir is changing fast and so are the politicians. The leaders, who have volunteered to come forward are talking about what’s achievable and are not crossing the line. They are aware about the fact that the three former J&K chief ministers, Farooq Abdullah his son Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti are under detention for raising the contentious issues which didn’t fall in their domain.
Kashmir centric leaders, who have come together to fill in the void will have to coin new slogans and new ideology.
They will have to focus on peace and development rather than talking about the issues which stand resolved post August 5, 2019, when Centre announced its decision to abrogate J&K’s special status and divided it into two union territories.
A few second rung PDP leaders are trying to keep the party alive by making some noise occasionally, while the NC leaders at party headquarters in Srinagar are trying to send a message that Kashmir’s grand old party is still alive, but the fact is that both these parties have hit a dead end. The PDP stands decimated, while NC is on its last legs.
The divide between Jammu and Kashmir wings came to fore recently when the Election Commission announced Panchayat by-polls, which stand deferred now.
One of the Jammu based NC leader’s wrote a letter to Election Commission expressing the willingness of the party to participate in the process.
However, his move was opposed by the NC leaders in Srinagar. Had the Panchayat polls not been deferred by now NC would have split vertically. On the other hand except Iltija Mufti, daughter of the former J&K chief minister and PDP chief, Mehbooba Mufti no one from her party has been vocal. Iltija trying to don her mother’s mantle is an indication that PDP has become a history. Whenever, Mehbooba comes out of jail she will have to start from a scratch if she wants to remain active in politics.
Peoples Conference led by Sajad Lone has disappeared from the scene completely. Lone, who aspired to be J&K’s Chief Minister at one point of time has taken a back seat and seems content with the fact that he has been shifted to residence from MLA Hostel in Srinagar. |
