No doubt there is a feeling among voters in Jammu and Kashmir for a change and this was evident with the large percentage in the first two phases and in Kashmir Valley the massive public turnout to hear Prime Minister Modi addressing the gathering in the face of separatist boycott call and the recent militant attacks. This shows that there is yearning for a change among the electorates across the State. But there is some link missing which may belie the ground realities. The only question on everybody’s mind is: Will the situation change? This is the big question Modi will have to answer even after the elections. Many in Kashmir believe that Modi struck the right note when he invited Nawaz Sharif to Delhi for his swearing-in ceremony. But the volte-face in the policy towards Pakistan has dampened hopes of peace in the Valley. Modi can’t go back on his hardline stance on Pakistan any time soon. It will not appease his core constituency in India, which fervently believes that their neighbour can be tamed by talking tough. Pakistan has also relentlessly frustrated India’s peace overtures with its support to militants and cross-border firing. Offering an olive branch to Pakistan would be politically damaging for Modi. While he can’t, obviously, promise dialogue with Pakistan, Modi could tout the idea of engaging Hurriyat leaders, but this too looks difficult because everybody would then question the logic of snubbing Pakistan because its envoy met the same separatists. Political solutions also look unviable. It would be unwise to think that a BJP government in J and K, a difficult but not impossible prospect, will solve the Kashmir situation. Seeing the dilemma Modi took the first step in reposing faith in Kashmir by saying that people have full faith in him than the State Government. He said he wanted to take Kashmir to new developmental heights. Modi compared his visit to Kutch during and after the earthquake to Kashmir visits during the floods and after wards as a journey towards this direction. A change under these circumstances surely will get some dividends which is what the party is looking at.
