Jammu’s Muslim areas, however, have voted completely differently. The PDP — pivoted on soft separatism and Muslim-centric politics — has made its first inroads into the area, winning Mendhar and Darhal constituencies in the Poonch and Rajouri districts. Other constituencies have been won by the NC and Congress.

The Valley has been divided almost equally between the NC and PDP. The NC has won 20 seats and the PDP 19, the rest being taken by smaller parties and Independents. While good governance was an inalienable part of the poll campaign for both the NC and PDP, a soft separatist agenda was at the centre of the electoral politics of both parties.

The establishment of the PDP as a potent force in Kashmir is directly linked to its radical politics. The resolution of the Kashmir dispute within the Indian Union but outside the ambit of the Indian Constitution, self-rule, and a constitutional, political and economic confederation with Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir have been the key aspects of its political agenda. The party has sought demilitarization, a repeal of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, an elected Governor, lesser control from the Centre, and a dialogue with militants as part of the roadmap for the return of peace to Kashmir. The party’s exclusive Muslim-centric plank allowed it to attract varied separatist voices, and this was manifested in the voting pattern for the party, especially in the support it received from Jamat-e-Islami activists.

The NC too returned vigorously to its autonomy agenda, and distanced itself from its recent alliance with the BJP at the Centre. It abandoned the hawkish line it had taken towards separatists and Pakistan after the 1996 elections, with Omar Abdullah engaging directly with Islamabad and repeatedly pleading the case for a resolution of the Kashmir issue. The party also campaigned against human rights violations by the security forces, and organized sit-ins to push its new political face. After the unveiling of PDP’s self-rule document, the NC went a step ahead to propose autonomy and a roadmap for Kashmir, and constituted a special committee to incorporate Kashmir’s relationship with Pakistan in its autonomy document.

... contd.