Kashmir in 2025: What Changed After the Historic Vote |
By Raqif Makhdoomi
Jammu and Kashmir has seen many elections, but the one held in 2024 stood apart from all others.
That contest went beyond roads, power lines, or other public works. It carried the weight of memory, loss, and unfulfilled demands.
Every major party spoke in one voice on core political questions. They promised the return of Article 370, restoration of statehood, release of political detainees, and an end to the termination of employees.
For voters, this election was about regaining their voice, far beyond ordinary campaign talk.
People responded in large numbers. Many who had never stood in a polling line before came out to vote. The turnout turned the election into a national moment.
As the first election held after Jammu and Kashmir became a Union Territory, it carved a permanent place in the political record of India. When future generations speak of defining elections, 2024 in Jammu and Kashmir will stand among them.
The energy on the ground was unmistakable. Rallies drew crowds that had stayed away from politics for years. What surprised many observers was the choice voters made.
A large section backed the National Conference, a party that once symbolized public fatigue with elections.
This support majorly came from calculation, rather than from affection or........