PDP’s ‘Homecoming’

Senior leaders including some former legislators and ministers, who had left the PDP after 2019, are returning to the party, one after the other. To what extent can their return actually strength the party will be known in future. But the coming back of leaders is occurring at a right time for the PDP. According to political observers their return is signalling that PDP, which was once almost decimated after 2019, does exist very much even now and is developing the potential to emerge again as a political alternative in future. But for that the party still has a long way to go and to meet numerous challenges and to reduce its uncomfortable past baggage.

Getting back the known political faces slowly is an advantage to the PDP. With these faces in the past the party was able to challenge the political supremacy of National Conference (NC), which had dominated the political scene in Jammu and Kashmir for decades together. In past, PDP after ousting the NC from political power twice had led the coalition governments - first with Congress in 2002 and then with BJP in 2015. But forming the government with BJP proved very costly for PDP and then the departure of most senior leaders after 2019 gave the party a major jolt. The results were obvious, which were also reflected in 2024 Lok Sabha and assembly elections. The party performed miserably.

But now it is in the process of rebuilding itself and recovering the lost political space. Return of the deserted leaders is a step in that direction. Their return is also a realisation among these politicians that the experiment of creating new parties as an alternative to traditional political parties after 2019 has not succeeded till now. Had such moves created an effect then National Conference could not have won majority in assembly polls and formed the government. The new political parties had also no role in the defeat of PDP in 2024 assembly polls as it was the NC which thrashed its traditional rival party electorally. Since NC is intact as far as its leaders and cadres are concerned, so there was and there is no chance for the PDP deserted leaders to have some significant political space in the ruling party. With new political parties failing to create any impact, they had or they have no option left but to go back to the PDP, political observers say.

Getting back these leaders does not mean that PDP would become suddenly strong as it was in the past. And being back in PDP is not a guarantee for the leaders to win elections again in future. They will have to work very hard individually and collectively as a party to regain the lost popularity among the people. Most of these leaders had won assembly polls while in PDP in 2002 or 2008 or 2014. And most of them contested and lost the 2024 assembly on other parties’ tickets. But that does not mean they would have necessarily won if they had contested on PDP mandate in 2024.

The 2024 assembly polls were fought in an entirely different scenario. Political observers say that NC did not win because of its past performance. People, who voted for NC in 2024 in Kashmir or twin districts of Rajouri and Poonch, and also in Ramban district, did so because they felt that NC is the only party which can stop BJP from getting a majority. According to them, it was also a verdict against the August 5, 2019 decisions.

Subsequently, the 2024 assembly elections belonged to NC in Kashmir and in Rajouri, Poonch and Ramban districts, while to BJP in its stronghold in Jammu. Now NC is having its government. Congress, CPI(M) and some independent MLAs are supporting the elected government. The critics of the present NC government say that its impact is missing on the ground. The people do realise that the ruling National Conference cannot get back the Article 370 and Article 35-A despite promising to continue the struggle for their restoration. What the masses want is the solution of their day to day problems. National Conference leaders say that their government has made a beginning to redress the grievances of the people. But at the same time they say all the problems of people cannot be solved overnight.

According to them the presence of dual power system in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir is affecting their government’s working. Consequently, they are demanding restoration of full statehood to overcome the problem. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah recently said that Jammu and Kashmir has three power centres- One the elected government, second the Lieutenant Governor administration and third the central government. In past the central government leadership used to say that the statehood will be restored at an appropriate time. But it was never disclosed that when exactly this appropriate time will come.

After the Pahalgam terror attack and subsequent Operation Sindoor things have drastically changed in J&K and at the national level. Operation Sindoor has been paused and not stopped. The central government has made it absolutely clear that any future terror attack in India will be considered as an act war against the country and will be responded accordingly. Amid the tense situation there is no word from the centre regarding restoration of statehood to Jammu and Kashmir. However, the centre has stated that Pahalgam attack will not be allowed to disrupt the path of the development in Jammu and Kashmir. Meanwhile, the NC leaders have again started demanding restoration of the statehood. Going by the available indications, there are remote chances of the statehood getting restored in near future.

Right now the focus on the government level is on the peaceful and successful conduct of the annual Amarnath Yatra, beginning in July. All security and other required arrangements are being made in this direction. Union Home Minister Amit Shah during a recent visit to Jammu reviewed the arrangements being made for the Yatra. He also reviewed the situation post Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor. The Home Minister instructed to maintain the utmost vigilance and ensure the seamless completion of the Amarnath Yatra.

Political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have also offered their support for smooth and successful Amarnath Yatra. PDP President Mehbooba Mufti called on the Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on June 2 in Srinagar and offered her party’s support in this regard. She also advocated dignified return of migrant Kashmiri Pandits to Kashmir and gave some suggestions for this purpose.

Author is senior editor,

Greater Kashmir