Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered a fierce critique of the Congress, National Conference (NC), and People’s Democratic Party (PDP) during a rally in Jammu and Kashmir’s Doda. He accused the “three political families” of ruining the state through dynastic politics, framing the upcoming assembly elections as a contest between these families and the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
“This time’s assembly election in Jammu and Kashmir is between three families and the youth of Jammu and Kashmir,” PM Modi stated. “One family belongs to Congress, one family belongs to the National Conference, and one family belongs to PDP. What these three families have done to you people in Jammu and Kashmir is no less than a sin.”
PM Modi emphasized his efforts to promote youth leadership in the region since coming to power in 2014. He highlighted the series of elections held since then, including the 2018 Panchayat elections, the 2019 Block Development Council (BDC) elections, and the 2020 District Development Council (DDC) elections. According to Modi, these elections were essential for fostering democracy at the grassroots level in Jammu and Kashmir.
Accusing the so-called dynastic parties of stifling new leadership and rendering the state “hollow from within,” he said, “After Independence, Jammu and Kashmir became the target of foreign powers, and dynastic politics made this beautiful region hollow from within. The political dynasties projected their children and did not let new leadership grow.”
PM Modi also criticized former Union minister Sushil Kumar Shinde, who recently admitted that he was afraid of militants while visiting Jammu and Kashmir’s Lal Chowk during his tenure as home minister under the UPA-II regime. Modi pointed out the contrast with the current situation, noting, “Remember the time when an unofficial curfew would be imposed here as soon as the sun set? The situation was such that even the Home Minister of the Congress-led central government was afraid to go to Lal Chowk.”
These assembly elections are the first to take place in Jammu and Kashmir since the abrogation of Article 370. The region has 90 assembly constituencies, including 7 reserved for Scheduled Castes (SCs) and 9 for Scheduled Tribes (STs). According to the Election Commission of India, Jammu and Kashmir has approximately 88.06 lakh eligible voters.
In the previous assembly elections, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) won 28 seats, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) secured 25, the Jammu and Kashmir National Conference (NC) won 15, and the Congress won 12.
As the state prepares for its first elections in the new political landscape, PM Modi’s speech signals a push to end what he describes as dynastic politics, setting the stage for a significant electoral battle in the region.