Alliance of Pro-Autonomy Kashmir Parties Shattered

Last week, non-local Jammu and Kashmir residents were habilitated to vote in the upcoming state elections. The results will inevitably mark the dominant view concerning the decision to revoke J&K's special autonomy in 2019.

The future of the People’s Alliance of Gupkar Declaration (PAGD) ̶ an umbrella organization of Kashmiri parties advocating the return of the region's special autonomy ̶ remains unclear after one of its member organizations, the National Conference (NC) Party, clashed with leaders and threatened to withdraw.

The National Conference hit out at the alliance, accusing it of treating the party unfairly. PAGD is currently led by NC President and former State Chief Farooq Abdullah.

After meeting this week, the provincial committee of NC confirmed that the PAGD alliance will not fight the next elections united, as was the case in 2020 when it defeated the ruling Bhartiya Janata Party to secure a majority of seats in the local polls.

"The participants present in the meeting expressed dismay over the recent statements, audio jingles and speeches made by some of the constituents of the PAGD targeting National Conference. They felt that it does not contribute to the overall unity of the amalgam (PAGD)," the party said.

In the same statement, the party’s provincial committee said that it has “unanimously” resolved that the NC should prepare to fight all the 90 seats of the union territory's assembly alone.

Following the controversy, PAGD Chairperson Farooq Abdullah told the press that, “The PAGD will not end on whims. The decision on the election will be taken when the election is announced and depends on the situation then. Statements will come but everyone has to show patience and be ready for sacrifice.”

The next election is considered important given that it will be the first after the region's autonomy was revoked and it was divided into two federally controlled union territories.

The local elections of 2020, which was a contest between the Bhartiya Janata Party and PAGD, saw the later win 110 seats, while the BJP emerged as the single largest party with 75 of the total 278 seats. While the alliance won a majority of its seats in Muslim majority Kashmir, BJP held sway in the Hindu majority Jammu division.

However, since then, three constituents of the PAGD alliance ̶ the Indian National Congress, Peoples Conference, Peoples Movement ̶ have left, raising concerns about the amalgams future performance as a unified outfit.

The latest fracture comes days after J&K’s election commissioner announced the addition of 2.5 million new voters on the electoral roll, including resident non-locals for the first time, something that was barred when the region had its autonomy guaranteed by article 370 of Indian Constitution.

Former state chief and head of the regions Peoples Democratic Party, Mehbooba Mufti, has accused the federal government of bringing demographic changes in the region by introducing 2.5 million "BJP voters" from elsewhere.

The government, however, has clarified that the new voters are existing J&K residents.