Budgam By-Polls: Power Without Purpose

Law, at its core, is intellectually rich, empowering, and foundational to justice. But law without implementation is just ink on paper. Theory must meet reality. Politics mirrors the same paradox. Speeches are eloquent, manifestos are poetic, and rallies are euphoric, but what truly matters is delivery.
A year since the Jammu & Kashmir government took office, and with the Budgam by-polls underway, many, especially the young find themselves disillusioned. Not because they expected miracles, but because nothing meaningful has moved on the ground politically.
The early months were celebratory. Those in power seemed more absorbed in the thrill of victory than in grappling with governance.

The euphoria masked a deeper truth: J&K, now a Union Territory, remains caught between lost statehood and unresolved questions of identity, dignity, and autonomy. It demanded seriousness. Instead, we got symbolism. Power was attained, but purpose was lost in the celebration. The government’s approach surprised many. It wasn’t confrontational. It was quiet, perhaps deliberately so. Some called it pragmatism, others saw it as weakness. But when pragmatism slips into paralysis, it ceases to be strategy, it becomes surrender.

Soon after confusion set in, not among the people, but among those in charge. The lines between the Lieutenant Governor’s authority and that of the Chief Minister blurred. Bureaucratic bottlenecks and institutional overreach overshadowed the political leadership. Ministers functioned as administrators, and the bureaucracy became the de facto power centre. Governance felt procedural, not democratic. For months, the system drifted, neither regressive nor reformist, simply stagnant. The old ailments returned, slow files, vague promises, and photo-op politics. Bureaucracy had merely changed its wardrobe.

The Assembly sessions were equally telling, full of noise, little substance, and a clear display of opportunistic positioning. Later in the year, the Chief Minister’s statement in Anantnag, ruling out any coalition with the BJP finally broke the monotony. It signalled intent, if not yet impact. Then came the Rajya Sabha elections, a reflection of J&K’s political contradictions. Cross-voting, unexpected alliances, and an unending cycle of accusations revealed how fluid loyalties have become. The Congress chief’s letter of dissent to the NC leadership only deepened the crisis, bringing to light fissures that run deeper than they appear.

As by-polls approach, every party is now in combat mode, trying to reclaim lost ground or defend shrinking territory. The Budgam by-polls will serve as a litmus test. If the National Conference retains it, it would reaffirm its trust among the people and lay bare the opposition’s limited reach. But if it loses, the government must confront uncomfortable truths: that symbolism cannot replace performance, and that political failures have consequences.

Overall, year later, J&K’s political landscape feels restless caught between the promise of renewal and the fatigue of repetition. The youth of Jammu & Kashmir, who reposed faith in the mainstream process during last year’s elections, are once again slipping into cynicism. They seek results, not rhetoric; delivery, not declarations.

Tailpiece
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The power struggle within the Agha family, the Chief Minister’s quiet exit from Budgam, and the widening rift between the sitting MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and the Chief Minister over the MP’s pro-people stance and fulfilment of poll promises have turned Budgam into a political battleground. Once considered a certainty, the race now hangs in suspense, with victory guaranteed to no one. Its outcome will not only decide the fate of the Chief Minister’s credibility but could also redefine the very landscape of the opposition. The stakes have never been higher in any by-poll.

(Author is a practising Advocate at J&K High Court and Columnist on Public Policy and Politics)