Healthy contests
Despite all its imperfections, democracy is a beautiful way of governing people. The beauty touches its zenith on the verdict day—the day when people’s votes approve or discard government policies and actions, not in words, but through decisive franchise.
Of all, the Jammu & Kashmir election was most awaited. In August 2019, the state saw its political structure and organisation turn upside down in a single blow. Everything that has happened in the region since then has occurred in the shadow of that one sweeping move. The people’s verdict in Jammu & Kashmir is being seen as people’s wish to return the region to normalcy. The National Conference (NC) led by Omar Abdullah emerged victorious, securing 42 seats, while its ally, the Congress, added six more, surpassing the majority mark of 45. This decisive win marks a return to prominence for the NC, a party that had faced multiple efforts by political rivals to erode its influence in the region. Back in 2019, the regional parties of J&K, including National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP were wiped out from the political scene not through people’s verdict but by the discretion of the ruling party at the Centre. It is both reassuring and disturbing to see that the leaders who were put under house arrest for a prolonged period in the region never lost their popularity (disturbing because it symbolises unwarranted agony people and leaders faced). People of J&K have clearly discarded the BJP’s imposed notion of “development” that comes at the cost of constitutional integrity. If one were to gauge the extent to which the August 2019 developments moved the people of the state, it could be done by reflecting upon the record voting turnout registered in the polls. At the same time, a sense of disenchantment (with all political parties) among certain segments of voters was visible in a significant number of NOTA votes, standing at around 1.48 per cent of overall votes. After a tumultuous phase, Jammu & Kashmir appears to be returning back on track. It will be prudent and fair on the part of the Centre-ruling party to respect the verdict of the people and abstain from meddling into the affairs of governance hereon.
The BJP, with its claims of development, managed to get an all-time high tally of 29 seats in J&K. At the same time, it also emerged as the single largest party in Haryana—defying the predictions of all the exit polls which maintained the possibility of resurgence of the Congress. Credit to its effective electoral strategy, the BJP neutralised the glaring anti-incumbency in the state by replacing veteran Khattar with Nayab Singh Saini as Chief Minister, among other things. Saini's low-profile but effective leadership seems to have resonated with voters despite the party’s struggles in recent Lok Sabha elections and ongoing issues such as farmer protests and unemployment. However, despite the party winning 48 seats, it must be noted, BJP’s success is being seen by some as a win for strategic adaptability rather than overwhelming public support. Furthermore, the INC has alleged inconsistencies in the counting process, terming the overall outcome to be “unacceptable.” Notably, Congress’ performance in the Haryana election was not subpar. It managed to win 37 seats, and fought closely on others. Congress candidate and wrestler Vinesh Phogat registered her maiden electoral win from the Julana assembly seat in Haryana, terming it to be a “victory of struggle...and truth”. On the contrary, BJP’s Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, terming himself a “great man”, tried to downplay her victory as he believes his name has helped her win the contest. Such claims prima facie seem to be ridiculous and overly assertive. The real setback for the INC, however, came in Jammu & Kashmir where the BJP has emerged as the second-largest party, leaving it a distant third. It must be noted that the margin of votes between winners and runner-ups in many of the constituencies was very slim—indicating the close political contest that unfolded. In constituencies including Panchkula, Baroda, and Jhajjar, winning margins were less than 1,000 votes. BJP’s Devender Chatar Bhuj Attri clinched the Uchana Kalan seat by just 32 votes.
The results in the two states clearly indicate that all the prominent parties are fighting neck to neck with each other, which is a good sign for democracy. The opposition parties, particularly the INC, should strive to carry forward the momentum gained after 2024 General Elections, in favour of a healthy democracy.
