With DDC Elections round the corner, politics returns to normalcy in Kashmir

With District Development Council (DDC) Elections round the corner, the politics is finally returning to the valley. The Political parties are gearing up for the upcoming elections which will be held in 8 phases from November 28 to December 19. The results will be announced on December 22. Around 43 seats will be going into the polls in the first phase of the District Development Council (DDC) elections in Jammu and Kashmir. By-elections will also be held for three urban local bodies — Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), Pahalgam Municipal Council and Ashmuqam Municipal Council.

Security issue is going to be the major concerns for parties as some parties have started alleging that their members are not being provided security while campaigning. They allege that only BJP candidates are getting adequate security arrangements, the rest have been left on the mercy of God. Salman Sagar of the National Conference says, ‘we are not satisfied with regard to security and I think they don’t want us to campaign. We trust god and will continue with our campaign. It's the responsibility of the government to provide security. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) also alleges that only one party has been provided security.

PDP leader Rouf Bhat says, ‘Time is the best judge, we are all united and time will prove how prepared we are. They are discriminating. They have taken away the security of our leaders and also people who were categorized, they have even taken away their security’. The People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration which includes parties like NC, PDP and People’s Conference will be fighting these elections together and have already finalized its seat-sharing formula. This will be the first election to be held in Jammu Kashmir after the revocation of Article 370.