Reclaim Jammu’s space in current landscape in J&K politics
JAMMU: Jammu is trying to verify its position in the new set up of the government. After historic 2024 polls, which delivered a split verdict with National Conference winning a majority of seats in the Valley, enabling it to form the government, Jammu overwhelmingly voted for BJP yet the saffron party was way short of taking shot at the government. The BJP leadership had promised a Jammu-centric government based on the political arithmetic of winning a big majority in the region, which has 43 seats, just four short of 47 of the Valley. Its calculations could not succeed to the extent it had wanted.

That left Jammu mulling about the things that went wrong, as motivated by the BJP campaign. It had hoped that it would be making it big this time and rule J&K. These hopes were not misplaced as the party had mobilized everything and given a firm confidence to the people that they were in for their chance in the government. Jammu was aiming for the government as it wanted to avenge over decades-long discrimination in almost all matters, from jobs to the political decision-making. Jammu had watched with a sense of grim helplessness its decreasing share in opportunities to sharing whatever good happened to J&K. With the results disfavouring BJP in the overall context, Jammu continues to suffer deprivation.
At this moment, when the National Conference government led by Omar Abdullah is more than three-month old, Jammu is still in a thinking mode whether its discrimination has come to an end. The celebration and jubilation over three MLAs from the region making it to six-member Omar Abdullah government is now fading as the things are colliding with the reality. The Central government has continued with its development spree in Jammu and Kashmir, constructing highways, tunnels and taking rail link to the Valley, passing through high tunnels and highest bridges.
But there is a sense of being aggrieved among the people who feel that it has little or no share in the developmental projects. This sentiment has some basis because the business of Jammu plains is shifting, and since there is no tourist and economic infrastructure in place to make the pilgrims and tourists to stay in Jammu for a while. The Omar Abdullah government could not have undone all the discrimination and this neglect in a matter of three months, but the people are keen to have a glimpse of what is in store for them.
Here comes the role of BJP MLAs and other leaders, who were given a big mandate. National Conference has been making a plea for changes in the status of J&K – it is demanding statehood to get all the powers to govern well, but the fact of mandate is as striking in Jammu region for BJP. The voters gave 29 seats to the party, and this is a big number in the House of 90. BJP is in opposition in J&K – it is a fact but at the same time it is a big mandate. It is exercising its right to criticise National Conference and its resolutions asking for restoration of the special status akin to the return of Article 370 .The BJP has logic and the situation on its side. The people in J&K have seen what Article 370 did to them.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah has been very clear in suggesting that the Article 370 was a big barrier in the integration of the erstwhile state into the National mainstream. With that, he also made very significant point that this constitutional provision, which was like a permanent flow of oxygen to secessionism and it acted as a shield to terrorism and secessionism. His party in J&K could not have been a mute spectator to resumption of the narrative of bringing back of Article 370. So far that is very commendable role of the BJP in J&K.
BJP leadership, its MLAs, in particular, should understand that the people expect something more from them. Jammu’s health and educational institutions are not up to mark. They have not raised these issues with the intensity as these should have been. The mysterious deaths in Rajouri have not been placed in a proper context.Politics is not about criticism and who can criticize with loud volume, it is also about practical suggestions. The party needs to do more homework on it. That is of utmost importance to the region. That’s the way Jammu can raise its political profile and claim its due position in the current political landscape.