IIOJK sham polls: NC-Congress alliance secures victory amidst BJP’s electoral collapse
‘Election results a clear message against Modi's August 5 actions’
Srinagar: BJP’s claims of bringing progress and development to Indian illegally occupied Jammu and Kashmir have crumbled as the party faced a crushing defeat in the recently held sham assembly elections, with results announced today.
According to Kashmir Media Service, despite extensive pro-poll rigging—including awarding six additional seats to Hindu-dominated Jammu and only one to the Muslim-majority Kashmir Valley, reconfiguring constituencies, and utilizing state machinery—the BJP secured just 29 seats out of a total of 90. Notably, the saffron party failed to win a single seat in the Valley, with all its victories coming from the Jammu region.
The National Conference-Congress alliance triumphed with 49 seats, comprising 42 for the NC, 6 for Congress, and 1 for CPI-M. The Peoples Democratic Party claimed 3 seats, while both the People’s Conference and Aam Aadmi Party won 1 seat each. Additionally, independents secured 7 seats.
Kashmir watchers note that the election results have exposed a significant disconnect between the BJP’s claims of winning the hearts of Kashmiris and the reality on the ground. They assert that that the anti-BJP vote reflects a rejection of the Modi government’s illegal actions on August 5, 2019, highlighting Kashmiris’ unwavering demand for a plebiscite under United Nations auspices to determine their political future. The results demonstrate their commitment to continue this mission until realized.
It is important to mention that these elections occurred after a decade and for the first time since IIOJK was stripped of its special status in August 2019.
