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Kashmir: Parties United in Agenda, Divided by Politics

Kashmir: Despite a common political agenda, ground level competition prevents a united front of Kashmir’s regional parties. Kashmir's parties are united in agenda and divided by politics.

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Kashmir: Parties United in Agenda, Divided by Politics

Kashmir: Parties are unable to come together but the people are eager to vote as this woman, showing the mark on finger after casting her vote at a polling booth, did at a previous election. | Hariom Mehra | Credits Photo Division, Ministry of I & B,Govt.of India. Attribution (CC BY 2.0)

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Kashmir Faces Political Fragmentation Amidst Election Alliances

As Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) goes to the polls, there is just one pre-electoral alliance in place — between the National Conference (NC), a local party, and the main national Opposition party, the Indian National Congress.

There is no alliance between any of the regional political parties of J&K such as the NC, the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), the Peoples’ Conference and the less grounded Apni Party. 

The all-season friend of the NC, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), has not spared its pocket borough of Kulgam, in South Kashmir, either in the 2020 district level elections or in this month's legislative assembly elections.

The regional parties are united in their agenda for Kashmir but divided by politics. 

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Take the case of the two main parties of J&K — the NC and the PDP. Both derive political assertions from the same premise: the socio-cultural uniqueness of J&K and the special protection (now withdrawn) given to the region

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