PM’s visit
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday emphasized the critical role played by the abrogation of Article 370 in unlocking the true potential of Jammu and Kashmir. Addressing a rally in Jammu during his visit to the union territory, the PM said the revocation of the special constitutional provision marked a watershed moment in its history.
The region, he said, has experienced balanced development across various sectors since its transition to a Union Territory. This move, he asserted, has opened the doors to unprecedented opportunities and has enabled the government to reach the people's doorstep, signaling a new era of governance. The PM assured the people of Jammu and Kashmir of his commitment, stating, "This is Modi's guarantee, and this will continue."
The visit also witnessed the launch and foundation stone laying for several key projects, spanning education, railways, aviation, and road sectors. The projects worth over ₹32,000 crore for Jammu and Kashmir were inaugurated, among them the first Electric Train and the train service between Sangaldan station and Baramulla station.
The PM’s visit came ahead of the parliamentary polls scheduled to be held by May-June. It will thus go a long way in shoring up the BJP’s position in the union territory. The party already looks favourite to win the polls in the Jammu region and given its current formidable political standing in the country could be a force to reckon with in the Kashmir Valley. More so, considering the fact that the INDIA Alliance in J&K is finding it increasingly difficult to stick together. Already the National Conference has decided to go solo in the upcoming elections for parliamentary seats in Kashmir Valley. It remains to be seen how the PDP and the Congress would respond to this and whether the three parties would still be able to work out an electoral arrangement that doesn’t fragment anti-BJP votes.
It also remains to be seen whether the centre would also hold Assembly polls alongside parliamentary elections. The last Assembly elections date back to 2014, which makes for a prolonged absence of a democratic governance in the UT. J&K has not had an elected government since June 2018 when Governor’s rule was imposed after the PDP-led coalition government lost its majority following the withdrawal of support by the BJP. As of now, there is no clarity on this. The PM also stopped short of indicating any possibility of holding Assembly simultaneously with general elections. However, the visit has both its development and political spin-offs and the latter will play out in the weeks and months to come.