Story so far: Vying for power in the Valley, the major political parties in the poll fray have released their manifestos for the upcoming Jammu-Kashmir (J&K) assembly polls. Promises made by the parties revolve around two contrasting ideas – restoring J&K’s special status or moving forward with further integration (with the Union of India).
The two major local parties Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (NC) and the Jammu & Kashmir People’s Democratic Party (PDP) were the first to release their manifestos, making several similar promises regarding restoring Article 370 and J&K’s statehood, nullifying amended laws since 2019 and ending political incarceration.
Opposing their promises is the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has rolled out 25 promises to create a ‘new J&K.’ Asserting that “Article 370 is part of history and will never come back,” Union Home Minister Amit Shah urged voters to reject the ‘politics of appeasement’ prevalent in previous State governments. While the BJP manifesto does not mention granting statehood to J&K, Mr. Shah said, “Why demand something that has already been accepted on the floor of Parliament?”
Offering a middle ground of sorts is the Congress – which has promised statehood, land to refugees from Pakistan, one lakh jobs, cash transfers to women heads of family and farmers, resumption of press accreditation, and welfare schemes for minorities, SC/ST and border residents, to name a few. The grand old party does not make any promises regarding altering local laws amended since 2019, domicile rights or restoring J&K’s special status.
Other parties like J&K People’s Conference’s (PC), J&K Apni Party – which have accepted revocation of Article 370 and are opposed to the NC-PDP combination – have also released their manifestos, with promises ranging from local reservation and amending State land laws to restoring statehood.
These are the first Assembly elections to be held since 2014, when BJP and PDP allied to form a shaky coalition government. Further, these Assembly polls are the first ones to be held since the State’s bifurcation into two Union Territories and revocation of its special status. In 2022, delimitation conducted by the Election Commission of India (ECI) awarded 43 constituencies to Jammu and 47 to the Kashmir valley. Moreover, nine Assembly seats — three in Kashmir, six in Jammu —were reserved for scheduled tribes. The upcoming polls will show how these demographic changes will factor into the voting.
Here’s a comparative look at what the parties in the fray have promised J&K voters.
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Opting to contest the polls on its own, the BJP has announced 60 candidates for the 90 seat-Assembly till date. Despite not officially allying with any party in previous polls (district development council or Lok Sabha), BJP has backed several ‘independents’ or local parties aligning with the party’s policy on J&K— i.e., accepting revocation of J&K’s special status. During the Lok Sabha polls, the party had opted out of the contest for three seats in the Valley, fighting only for two Jammu seats and winning one.
In its ‘Sankalp patra’, BJP has made 25 promises focusing on women, farmers, the landless, scheduled castes and tribes and the youth. Vowing to ‘end terrorism and separatism,’ BJP has promised to address illegal Rohingya and Bangladeshi settlements in J&K and ensure accountability to victims of terrorism.
Economic promises include — ₹18,000 per year to the senior-most woman in a household, two free LPG cylinders per year, ₹3000 per year to college students for travel, free laptops/tablets, free electricity with solar subsidy, hike of old age, widow and disability pension to ₹3000, and direct cash transfer of ₹10,000 to farmers.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Jammu and Kashmir BJP President Ravinder Raina, Union Ministers Jitendra Singh and G Kishan Reddy and others release the party’s election manifesto ahead of the state Assembly elections, in Jammu, Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. | Photo Credit: -
Apart from promising a slew of infrastructure projects and implementation of various Central schemes, BJP has promised to rehabilitate displaced Kashmiri Pandits, ensure SC/ST reservation in promotions, free and fair census, reconstruction of 100 ruined Hindu temples, and increased coverage under Ayushman Bharat Scheme.
With the CSDS-Lokniti post-poll survey revealing unemployment to be the major grievance of the electorate, BJP has promised to create five lakh new jobs, reimburse of coaching fees for UPSC and JKPSC aspirants, offer a 20% quota to Agniveers in J&K government and police jobs, and resolve grievances of community workers such as ASHAs and Anganwadi workers if voted to power.
National Conference (NC) & People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
Allying with old partner Congress, NC has decided to contest 51 seats, while Congress will contest 32 seats; one seat each has been allotted to the CPI(M) and Jammu and Kashmir National Panthers Party.
The Farooq Abdullah-led NC has promised to continue it fight to restore J&K’s special status and statehood. Apart from this, NC has pledged to push for an India-Pakistan dialogue on Kashmir, introduce laws to protect the jobs and land of locals, release political prisoners and review termination of employees in the past five years.
J&K National Conference President Dr Farooq Abdullah with his son and party Vice President Omar Abdullah shows election manifesto during special prayers at the grave of his father and party founder Sheikh Muhammad Abdullah on his 42nd death anniversary, in Srinagar on Sunday, 08 September 2024. | Photo Credit: IMRAN NISSAR
The party also seeks to repeal the stringent Public Safety Act (PSA) which has been slapped on many political leaders for preventive detention. Other promises include safe rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits, simplifying the passport verification process, and limiting the import of apples to promote the home-grown variety. Apart from promising a slew of projects such as industrial parks, special economic zones, satellite townships, and transport, NC has also pledged a plethora of freebies — 12 free gas cylinders, 200 units of free electricity, free education up to university, hiked quota of rations (rice, sugar), better healthcare and restoring the old pension scheme.
PDP, whichd has allied with NC in its fight to restore J&K’s autonomy, fell out with the NC over seat-sharing talks during the Lok Sabha elections. Both parties were part of the Congress-led Opposition coalition – Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) – but could not agree on splitting the seats to contest in Kashmir. With NC and PDP pitted against each other in Anantnag-Rajouri, Srinagar and Baramulla, both NC Vice-President Omar Abdullah and PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti lost their own poll battles.
Opting to contest the J&K polls solo, PDP’s manifesto was on similar lines to NC – restore J&K’s statehood and special status, restart talks with Pakistan, scrap laws like Public Safety Act (PSA), Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Enemy Act, review the termination of government employees, resuming accreditation of the press, and reinstating the old pension scheme.
Apart from these, PDP has also promised to work towards ‘ending Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) in J&K’, establish full connectivity across the Line of Control (LoC) for trade and social exchange, a regional free-trade area and shared economic market between Central and South Asia via Kashmir, opening Sharda Peeth across LoC, reservation based on population census, right to locals for government tenders and a market intervention scheme for apples.
Congress
Diametrically opposed to BJP and allied with local party NC, Congress has released a manifesto which mentions no mention of the restoration J&K’s autonomy, repeal of stringent laws,r restoring old domicile and land rights of J&K citizens or talks with Pakistan. Its manifesto promises a mix of Central schemes which were implemented in the UPA era, and resolving some long-standing local issues of J&K citizens.
Batting for restoring J&K’s statehood, Congress has promised to restore its summer and winter capitals in Jammu and Srinagar respectively. It has also proposed creation of a legislative council, regularisation of refugee camps and conferring land sale rights to them, an unemployment allowance of ₹3500 per month for a year, promotiom sericulture, granting forest access to tribals, including Punjabi as an official language, and reservation for residents along the LoC and international border.
Some unique promises by the party are Press clubs in each district headquarters, consider insurance and pension policy for journalists, re-examine government advertisement rates, implement advocates’ welfare and promote climate-resilient agriculture.
Poll promises: Congress leaders Tariq Hameed Karra and Pawan Khera launching the manifesto in Srinagar on Monday. ANI | Photo Credit: ANI
Similar to NC, Congress too has promised preference to residents for jobs, admissions, and tenders. It has also similarly promised one lakh jobs, simplifying passport verification, hike in free ration quantity, minimum price for apples, restoration of old the pension scheme, and not ensuring mining rights.
Like BJP, Congress’ manifesto also promises women heads of household a monthly cash transfer of ₹3000. It proposes to hike community workers’ salaries, offer affordable public transport to students, to provide ₹25 lakh health insurance coverage, consider reservation in promotions, bring about 100% electrification via solar lights, rehabilitate Kashmiri Pandits, promote tourism as an industry, provide free electricity upto 100 units and ensure better connectivity.
Published - September 18, 2024 12:01 pm IST
