Srinagar, Oct 09: As Jammu and Kashmir gears up for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections and Legislative Assembly bypolls on two seats, the political atmosphere in the Union Territory has turned charged, with the ruling National Conference (NC) and the Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and PDP engaging in a fierce war of words.
All these parties are preparing for the November 11 bypolls, which will decide the fate of two crucial Assembly constituencies — Budgam and Nagrota. The outcome is being viewed as a litmus test for all sides ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections and future political alignments in J&K.
The Budgam seat holds particular symbolic value for the NC, as Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had contested and won from both Budgam and Ganderbal constituencies in the last elections. However, he chose to retain Ganderbal, his family’s traditional bastion, leaving the Budgam seat vacant and setting the stage for a high-stakes bypoll.
The PDP has accused both Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and the BJP-led government at the Centre of failing to deliver on promises made to the people. The party has also proposed to introduce an “anti-bulldozer” bill in the upcoming Legislative Assembly session.
Amid mounting political rhetoric, Leader of Opposition and senior BJP leader Sunil Sharma launched a sharp attack on the NC, PDP, and Congress, accusing them of being responsible for the rise of militancy in the region.
Sharma alleged that militancy had flourished during the rule of the NC and Congress, contrasting it with what he termed as the BJP’s “peace-oriented governance.”
“Militancy began under their watch. The BJP has restored peace and stability, and law-and-order incidents have seen a sharp decline,” Sharma said.
He added that the BJP would not allow the proposed “anti-bulldozer” bill to be passed in the Assembly. “The PDP wants to protect land mafia and encroachers on state land,” he alleged.
His remarks drew an immediate and fiery response from Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary, who accused the BJP of indulging in blame politics while ignoring people’s suffering.
“Ask the Leader of the Opposition what the BJP has done in 11 years. He keeps blaming us every day but has done nothing for the people,” Choudhary said.
“The Jammu region, which gave the BJP 28 seats, was ravaged by floods. Homes, crops, and roads were destroyed, and people lost their life savings and jewelry.”
Choudhary further alleged that BJP leaders were “media-centric” and disconnected from ground realities.
The Deputy CM also urged Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha to approve the Transaction of Business Rules, which have been pending despite being cleared by the cabinet.
Adding to the political storm, BJP National General Secretary and J&K in-charge Tarun Chugh accused Omar Abdullah of failing to deliver on promises made during last year’s legislative sessions.
“The NC is indulging in political tourism, while real issues like unemployment, poor infrastructure, and the struggling tourism sector remain unaddressed,” Chugh said, pointing out that the sector has been “limping since the Pahalgam terror attack.”
With just a month left for polling, all these parties are intensifying their campaigns to consolidate support.
