Sir,
In a historic mandate, the National Conference (NC) has emerged as the dominant political force in the Jammu and Kashmir elections, securing an absolute majority with 42 seats. The Indian National Congress (INC), its alliance partner, contributed an additional 6 seats, giving the coalition the mandate to form the government after a decade. All the winning seats are from the Kashmir region, Pir Panchal, and Chenab Valley.
While the victory is a significant political shift, it also brings forth a challenge in terms of regional representation. None of the seats from the Jammu division were won by candidates from either the NC or INC, leaving the region without direct representation in the assembly. For the first time in the history of the Jammu and Kashmir assembly, there will be no representation from Jammu, Udhampur, Doda, Kishtwar, Samba and Kathua, raising concerns about inclusivity and balanced governance across the Union Territory.
Out of 42 seats, Arjun Singh Raju from Ramban and Surinder Kumar Choudhary from Nowshera are the only two seats are represented by non-Muslim leaders from entire J&K. Similarly, its alliance party Indian National Congress (INC) has won five seats from Kashmir Valley and one from Rajouri. All the winning candidates are also from Muslim community- leaving a vacuum for other communities.
Considering these results and for the welfare of entire J&K, the National Conference leadership should address the gap in representation from Jammu region. It is suggested that the NC should consider reaching out to loyal leaders from the Jammu region who have won, even from outside their party, to ensure that the voices of the region are not sidelined.
Candidates from Jammu division, who have won as Independents must be included in the Government formation so that a fair representation is given to Jammu division.
Payare Lal Sharma from Kishtwar’s Inderwal, Dr Rameshwar Singh from Kathua’s Bani and Satish Sharma from Chambb (Jammu) have won their seats.
This move would not only provide fair representation but would also strengthen the unity of Jammu and Kashmir, bridging the regional and religious divides.
Rekindling relationships with old allies and extending cooperation to elected representatives from Jammu will be crucial in maintaining a balanced and inclusive Government that reflects the diverse aspirations of all regions of the Union Territory.
Mir Iqbal
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