Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared on Friday, April 12, that the assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir are set to take place shortly, along with the reinstatement of statehood.
The improvement of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir over the past ten years was emphasized by the prime minister. Specifically, the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019 played a significant role in this progress. The prime minister highlighted that for the first time in decades, elections were being conducted in J&K without the looming threat of terrorism and cross-border firing.
The issues of terrorism, separatism, Article 370, stone pelting, and bandhs have ceased to be prominent in electoral discussions. The people of Kashmir, including women, have bestowed blessings upon me for the transformations in their lives. They are aware that their sons are now less likely to be influenced negatively, as highlighted by the enhanced security conditions post-2015 and notably after the revocation of Article 370.
Decades have passed, and this election is taking place without the haunting presence of terrorism, separatism, stone-pelting, strikes, and cross-border terrorism. These issues, which once dominated the electoral discourse, have now become a thing of the past. Previously, there were concerns about the security of the Vaishno Devi and Amarnath pilgrimages, but the overall security situation has undergone a complete transformation. The region of Jammu and Kashmir is currently experiencing significant development, and the people’s trust in the government is steadily growing stronger.
The Lok Sabha elections in Jammu and Kashmir are scheduled to take place over five phases. The five Lok Sabha constituencies that will be contested during the Lok Sabha elections of 2024 in these five phases include Baramulla, Srinagar, Anantnag-Rajouri, Udhampur, and Jammu. Udhampur is set to go to polls on April 19th. Choudhary Lal Singh is the candidate nominated by the Congress, while G M Saroori has been nominated by the Democratic Progressive Azad Party (DPAP) for this seat.
