Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is facing yet another challenging election, this time in the volatile region of Jammu and Kashmir. After a disappointing election performance, Modi is now up against strong separatist sentiment and angry voters who feel they have lost their autonomy.
Local elections in Jammu and Kashmir are set to take place in three phases, with almost 9 million registered voters choosing candidates for 90 seats in the local assembly. This will be the first election since Modi’s government revoked the region’s special status and brought it under federal control in 2019.
Despite promises from Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party to bring investments, jobs, and tourism to the region, voters, particularly in Muslim-majority Kashmir, are not swayed. They are demanding a return to the semi-autonomy they once enjoyed, with control over key functions like policing, health, and finance. Regional parties, vying to keep the BJP out of office, are focusing their campaign on this key issue.