The opposition parties in Jammu and Kashmir have been criticized for their silence over conducting assembly elections in the region. Ghulam Nabi Azad, the chief of the Democratic Progressive Azad Party, accused the opposition of only showing unity when their own parties face specific problems. He raised concerns about the lack of representation for residents living far away from the Union Territory, due to the non-existence of an assembly. Azad remarked that it is the first time, in his entire political career, that elections are not being held in the region.
Regarding the recent electoral triumphs of the Congress party in various states, Azad acknowledged that the party is bouncing back, wherever there is a strong state leadership. The last assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir were held in 2014, and the PDP-BJP coalition formed the government in 2015. The PDP secured 28 seats and the BJP secured 25 out of the 87 seats.
In 2019, Article 370 was abrogated that led to the formation of Jammu and Kashmir as a Union Territory and Ladakh being separated from it, forming another Union Territory. Even after two years, no assembly elections have been conducted in the Union Territory. Azad emphasized that the absence of an assembly is detrimental to the region’s democratic process, leaving citizens feel unrepresented.
