Agencies
Srinagar: Indian-occupied Kashmir (IoK) elected on Tuesday its first government since the territory was brought under New Delhi’s direct control, as voters backed opposition parties to lead its regional assembly.
In August 2019, India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had revoked IoK’s special status by repealing Article 370 of the constitution. The law had limited the power of the Indian parliament to impose laws in the state, apart from matters of defence, foreign affairs and communications.
Since then, the Muslim-majority territory of some 12 million people has not had an elected local government. Instead, it has been ruled by a governor appointed by New Delhi.
While voters took part in national elections in June when Modi won a third term in power, these were the first local elections since 2014.
As results were announced, with an alliance of the opposition National Conference (NC) and Congress parties tipped to form a government, supporters celebrated.
By mid-afternoon, Election Commission figures showed NC and Congress had won 47 of 90 seats in the assembly, an unassailable lead over the BJP with 27.
Some called the vote a de facto referendum on the federal government’s decision to repeal the territory’s special status.
“The people have given their judgement against what New Delhi did,” social activist Iqbal Ahmad Bhat said.
Half a million Indian troops are deployed in the far northern region, battling a 35-year insurgency in which tens of thousands of civilians, soldiers and rebels have been killed, including dozens this year.
‘Political rights’
“We are happy with the election results and hope that the political rights will be restored,” said Jahangir Ahmad, among the cheering crowds outside the home of the territory’s expected new chief minister, NC leader Omar Abdullah.
Farooq Abdullah, his father and NC president, told reporters that the results were a “verdict” against Modi’s government.
Critics however say the assembly will only have nominal powers over education and culture.
New Delhi will also have the power to override legislation and will continue to appoint the governor.
Modi’s BJP says the changes to the territory’s governance have delivered a new era of peace to IoK and rapid economic growth — claims other parties reject.
The BJP won seats in the southern Hindu-majority Jammu region and fought only from about a third of the seats in the Kashmir valley.
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