New Delhi:

The final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link (USBRL) project is complete, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Friday, calling it a “historic milestone”. The completion marks a crucial phase in the ongoing project, which aims to establish a direct rail connection between Kashmir and the rest of the country.

“Historic milestone; Final track work The ballast-less track work for the 3.2 km-long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was successfully completed today at 02:00 hrs,” Mr Vaishnaw wrote on X.

Historic milestone; Final track work on the Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Rail link is complete.

The ballast-less track work for the 3.2 km-long Tunnel T-33, located at the foothills of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine and connecting Katra to Reasi, was successfully completed today… pic.twitter.com/VUZTTi61A7

— Ashwini Vaishnaw (@AshwiniVaishnaw) December 13, 2024

As per an update on November 19, 255 km of the total 272 km stretch had been completed, with just a 17-kilometre section between Katra and Reasi left.

One of the most eagerly awaited aspects of the USBRL project is the anticipated Vande Bharat Express, which is expected to begin operations in January 2025. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to inaugurate the train, which will connect Kashmir directly to New Delhi.

The USBRL project holds significant strategic value, providing seamless connectivity to the Kashmir Valley and strengthening the region’s link to the rest of India. This project, initially approved in 1994-95, has been rolled out in phases. The first phase, the 118-km Qazigund-Baramulla section, was commissioned in October 2009. This was followed by the 18-km Banihal-Qazigund stretch in June 2013 and the 25-km Udhampur-Katra section in July 2014. In February 2020, PM Modi inaugurated the 48.1-km Banihal-Sangaldan stretch, marking another significant milestone in the project’s progress.

It was designated a “National Project” in 2002. A key highlight of this project is the world’s highest railway bridge, standing 359 metres above the Chenab riverbed, making it 35 metres taller than the Eiffel Tower. This 1.3-km-long bridge is a vital part of the 111-km stretch connecting Katra to Banihal, a crucial segment of the Kashmir Railway project.

With inspections and assessments of tracks and stations taking place, the final push towards completing the remaining sections is well underway.

Srinagar:

A doctor and five construction workers were killed when terrorists opened fire at a construction site at Gagangir in Jammu and Kashmir’s Ganderbal district, official sources said Sunday. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah called the attack on non-local labourers “dastardly and cowardly”.

“Praying that the injured make a full recovery as the more seriously injured are being referred to SKIMS, Srinagar,” Mr Abdullah posted on X.

The terrorists had opened fire on a camp housing workers of a private company, who were  working on an under-construction tunnel in Gund area. The police and army have cordoned off the area to track the attackers.

A post from the X handle of Jammu and Kashmir Police read, “Terror incident in Gagangeer, Ganderbal. Area cordoned off by security forces. Further details shall follow”.

Union minister NItin Gadkari has condemned the “horrific” terror attack. In a post on X, the minister said the “innocent labourers” were engaged in a vital infrastructure project. 

“I strongly condemn the horrific terror attack on innocent labourers in Gagangir, Sonamarg, Jammu & Kashmir, who were engaged in a vital infrastructure project,” Mr Gadkari’s post read.

“I offer my humble tribute to the martyred labourers and extend my deepest condolences to their families during this difficult time. My thoughts and prayers are with the injured for a swift and full recovery,” he added.

Srinagar:

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Wednesday chose party leader Surender Choudhary from Nowshera in Jammu as his deputy, saying he did so to give a voice to the people of the region and make his government inclusive.

“Our endeavour will be to take everyone along,” the National Conference leader told reporters after being sworn in. Five ministers — Sakina Masood (Itoo), Javed Dar, Javed Rana, Surinder Choudhary and Satish Sharma — also took the oath of office.

There are three vacancies and “they will gradually be filled”, Mr Abdullah said.

He said Mr Choudhary — a former member of the PDP and the BJP who emerged a giant killer when he defeated BJP’s J-K president Ravinder Raina from Nowshera by 7,819 votes — was chosen as deputy chief minister so people of Jammu do not feel left out from the government.

“I had said that we will not allow Jammu to feel that they do not have a voice or representatives in this government. I have chosen a deputy chief minister from Jammu so that the people of Jammu feel that this government is as much theirs as it is of the rest,” he said.

In the 2014 assembly elections, Mr Raina won the Nowshera seat by defeating Mr Choudhary, who was then fighting on a PDP ticket, by a margin of over 10,000 votes.

Mr Choudhary resigned from the PDP in 2022 to join the BJP before ending his over-a-year-long association with the party to join the NC in July last year.

This is the first elected government since 2019 when Article 370 was abrogated from Jammu and Kashmir and the state was bifurcated into the union territories of Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh.

In the assembly elections held recently, the National Conference won 42 out of the 90 seats while alliance partner Congress bagged six. Together, the two pre-poll allies hold a majority in the 95-member assembly — five members are to be nominated by the LG.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

“It’s good these people are in jail,” a fruit seller shared his frustration, keeping his shop open despite a lowered shutter in response to the lockdown called on by the separatists. The year was 2019, precisely a month after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government announced the abrogation of Article 370, and “these people” in question were the leaders of Jammu & Kashmir’s regional parties: the Jammu & Kashmir National Conference (JKNC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). Five years later, these very people are not just out of jail, but some of them are also set to form the government in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. 

The world can draw an essential lesson from what has transpired in Jammu & Kashmir in the last five years. And this lesson has nothing to do with the polling outcome. Despite the previous unstable assembly (the BJP opted out of the ruling PDP-led coalition), the geopolitical turmoil in the aftermath of the abrogation of Article 370, and the controversy around delimitation, Jammu & Kashmir chose democracy yet again.

Democracy As A Lived Reality

When an insurgency or an armed conflict continues for too long, democracy is the first to fall. Increased securitisation of a conflict-ridden space undermines democracy not just as a political philosophy concept but also as an everyday lived reality. Political alienation is often the beginning and the end of a conflict. It is also the means and the end of most insurgencies. Secessionists in Jammu & Kashmir, therefore, leaned on boycotts of political processes in the region. These boycotts were successful in forging a sense of identity, delinked from New Delhi, in a section of Jammu & Kashmir’s population.

Jammu & Kashmir’s voter turnout in 2024 has fallen marginally short of 2014. Still, considering the political and security volatility during the past decade, the political remapping of the region, and the trends from the 2024 general election turnout, the absolute figure of 63.88% is a big round of applause for Indian democracy. Not only were the calls for boycotting the elections negligible, but voters also didn’t even think twice before ignoring them. The pre-poll sentiment in Jammu & Kashmir was defined by buoyancy and optimism.

Reigniting Faith

Participation in electoral processes should not be seen as an indicator of peace in Jammu & Kashmir or any other conflict-riddled region. Democracy does not suit all, and efforts to derail it are the strongest whenever it appears to work and emerge as a choice. For peace, the synergy of formal institutions is a prerequisite. The BJP has done well to reignite people’s faith in at least one of them: electoral polity. Jammu & Kashmir, under the governor’s rule for six years, grabbed this chance to assert itself and make its voice heard in New Delhi. The JKNC-Congress alliance has trumped religious extremism-driven parties on the one hand and heavy-handed nationalism on the other.

After almost a decade of aggressive and kinetic strategy in dealing with the hardliners in J&K, this is a perfect moment for the Indian establishment to rethink its attitudes towards conflict resolution. The temptation to discard democracy as a defunct system is at its highest during an armed conflict. But this is also the time when democracy can shine the brightest. A rights-based approach to conflict resolution may appear counter-intuitive, but this is the only lasting solution. The rejection of the right to vote by a dissatisfied bunch of people as a means of their political expression can be the first sign of trouble. The converse is also true.

This Is True ‘Normalcy’

The BJP may not feel warm and fuzzy about the assembly poll results, but New Delhi has all the reasons to rejoice. This is what ‘normalcy’, an oft-touted catchword of the current dispensation, looks and feels like. This almost violence-free election is the festive bonus that everyone hoped for, but nobody could have been sure of it. Reams will be written about the “success” of this election within the security paradigm. However, the real success is allowing the decriers of democracy to come into the fold. After long periods of violence and quasi-violence directed primarily against the Indian state, this election is an affirmation of the core principles of participatory democracy. 

No political system, even the good old democracy, can and should be treated as the panacea for all ills. At best, democracy can achieve an environment where people who are affected by policies feel like stakeholders. This precludes compulsive resistance and fosters a sense of ownership. Jammu & Kashmir’s ‘problem’ is both a function and an origin of political alienation and disempowerment. Increased participation on the population’s part and more open-mindedness on the part of the establishment during political processes help create a secure environment that doesn’t rely solely on securitisation.

What and how Jammu & Kashmir’s political arena will look like with a government in place after six years of Governor’s rule remains to be seen. For now, these lessons of democracy are for all to see and emulate. 

(Nishtha Gautam is a Delhi-based author and academic.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

We walk a narrow and tenuous path between “ifs” and “buts” when it comes to exit poll numbers. Until the final trends emerge on October 8th, exit polls provide a lens through which we can view and assess the realm of possibilities in the Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir assembly elections. While exit polls for Haryana indicate a common direction, with some variation in numbers, the projections for Jammu and Kashmir lend themselves to multiple interpretations. A closer look at the projected numbers in both cases helps identify the key factors shaping the electoral politics in these two regions.

A Clear Majority For Congress In Haryana

In Haryana, the Congress is projected to secure a clear majority. While the margin of that majority differs from poll to poll, the general direction of the results appears consistent. Five factors are worth considering when analysing these trends. First, the BJP is completing two terms in office and is seeking a third. In 2019, it came to power through an alliance with a regional party, an alliance that fell apart toward the end of the five-year term. Indications suggest that Haryana witnessed a direct contest between the BJP and the Congress, with state-based players largely marginalised, except in a few minor pockets.

Second, anti-incumbency sentiments against the BJP government have been discussed. However, anti-incumbency alone is not enough to unseat a government. A strong, visible, viable, and aggressive challenger is needed to capitalize on that sentiment, and the Congress seems to have played that role effectively during the campaign. Third, both the BJP and the Congress have faced internal conflicts over seat distribution, shifting political loyalties, leadership competition, and open expressions of dissent. The results will reflect which party managed these challenges more effectively. Additionally, both the BJP’s and Congress’s vote shares are expected to rise compared to the 2019 assembly polls, given the near two-way contest in the state, though this increase may not be fully reflected in seat shares.

A Jat-vs-Non-Jat Competition

Fourth, the state’s caste dynamics may be undergoing a shift. Traditionally, there has been a Jat vs. non-Jat competition. Since 2014, the BJP has performed well among non-Jat segments, while the Jat vote has often been split between the Congress and other state players. If the exit poll trends hold, it suggests that the Congress has consolidated the Jat vote and made inroads among non-Jat segments as well. The “JAPKI” factor-Jawan (soldier), Pehalwan (wrestler), and Kisan (farmer)-would likely have worked in Congress’s favour if these trends hold.

Lastly, the youth vote will be critical in Haryana. Voters under 30 have participated in elections over the past decade, and their aspirations and vision could play a decisive role in shaping the verdict.

Four Key Factors In J&K

Turning to Jammu and Kashmir, the issues are markedly different. Exit polls suggest that the National Conference (NC)-Congress alliance is ahead, though many do not predict a clear majority for them.

Here, four factors are at play. First, there is a notable divergence in trends between the Jammu region and the Kashmir Valley. The BJP is strong in Jammu and is trying to establish a foothold in the Valley. Within the NC-Congress alliance, the NC dominates in the Valley, while the Congress focuses more on Jammu. The PDP, smaller state parties, and independents also have a presence in the Valley.

Second, the key focus on October 8 will be which party emerges as the single largest. Though the NC and Congress have an alliance, they contested some seats against each other, weakening their claim as a pre-poll alliance. If they collectively secure a majority, their position will be strengthened. However, if no party crosses the majority mark, the single largest party could play a crucial role in the Lieutenant Governor’s decision. Additionally, if neither the BJP nor the NC-Congress alliance wins a majority, the smaller state-based parties and independents will become pivotal. How far the largest party or alliance falls from the majority will also matter.

Third, if no party or alliance reaches the halfway mark, the strategy of the PDP, other state-level players, and independents will be critical. Given that the BJP would likely win most of its seats in Jammu while these other groups would dominate in the Valley, the political dynamics of post-election support will hinge on the distinct politics of the two regions. During the campaign, these smaller players raised various issues. The question will be whether their issues align more with the BJP or the NC-Congress alliance, or if post-election politics will follow different priorities.

Finally, this is the first assembly election in a decade, and the region has seen significant changes during that time. The abrogation of Article 370 and the division of the state into two Union Territories have had far-reaching implications. The election results could be seen as a response to these changes. Additionally, the Lieutenant Governor has the authority to nominate five members to the assembly, with nominated members having the same status as elected ones. This could potentially alter the balance in terms of securing a majority.

Both elections have significant long-term implications. As the first polls following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, their outcomes could influence the political landscape not only in the regions where the elections were held but across the country. Two more major state elections are set to follow before the end of the year, making the October 8 results the first in a series of important contests.

(Dr. Sandeep Shastri is the National Coordinator of the Lokniti Network)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

With the election dates announced for Jammu & Kashmir, frantic political activity has begun in the state. This will be the first election after the abrogation of special status.

The founder of the J&K Apni Party has joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), while there are unconfirmed reports of Ghulam Nabi Azad making a gharwapsi to the Congress.

Can the opposition form a united bloc against the BJP, or will the National Conference (NC) and Congress at least continue with their Lok Sabha alliance in the state elections? Or, will all the four main parties go it alone? The answer to this question will determine the course of these elections.

In the last three polls in the state, no party secured a simple majority of its own. In 2002, the Congress and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) joined hands post-poll to form a government. In 2008, the Congress backed the National Conference in a post-poll arrangement. In 2014, the PDP and the BJP came together to provide a government for the people of J&K.

Multi-Cornered Battles

Quadrangular contests have made it tricky for any party to cross the halfway mark. The structure of the assembly is such that it makes it difficult for any party to win. Pre-delimitation, the Kashmir valley had 46, Jammu 37, and Ladakh four seats.

In Kashmir, which has a Muslim majority, the main contest is between the two regional parties: the Mufti family’s PDP and the Abdullah family’s NC. In Jammu, which has a Hindu majority, the main contest is between the two national parties, the Congress and the BJP.

Post-delimitation, the total assembly seats have increased from 87 to 90, with Kashmir having 47 (+1) and Jammu 43 seats (+6). The proportion of seats in Hindu-dominated Jammu has increased from 42.5% to 47.8% post-delimitation.

In the 2014 Vidhan Sabha elections, the PDP had won 28 seats with a 23% vote share, the NC got15 with 21% votes, the BJP 25 with 23% votes, and the Congress won 12 with 18% votes.

While the BJP almost doubled its vote share, the PDP gained 8% and the NC lost 2%. The BJP and the PDP gained largely at the expense of others (independents and smaller parties). While the BJP won 25 of the 37 seats on offer in Jammu, the PDP won 25 of the 46 seats in the Valley.

The BJP withdrew support from the government in June 2018. In the 2019 general elections, the NC and BJP won three seats each, with the former sweeping Kashmir and the latter winning in Jammu and Ladakh.

In August 2019, the Central government revoked the special status of Jammu & Kashmir. Parties in the Kashmir Valley, including the NC, PDP, and a few others, soon formed the Gupkar Alliance in response, demanding the restoration of Article 370.

The Recent Lok Sabha Elections

In the recently concluded general elections, the NC won two seats, the BJP got two, and an Independent candidate won one seat. Both ex-chief ministers Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah lost the elections. The PDP’s influence declined in the Lok Sabha as it couldn’t win any seat and recorded just 8.5% vote share. The BJP didn’t contest in the Kashmir valley and tactically backed Sajjad Lone’s party, the People’s Conference. 

A section of the voters is looking for new parties or leadership, ideologies, and fresh perspectives, away from the traditional parties. There is confusion over the opposition alliance too. Though both the NC and Mehbooba Mufti’s PDP are national allies of the Opposition INDIA bloc, their traditional turf rivalry in Jammu & Kashmir, particularly in the Valley, may prevent them from forming an alliance in the Assembly elections, just as they didn’t in the recent Lok Sabha election.

Can There Be A United Opposition?

Despite Farooq Abdullah’s statement that the National Conference would contest the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections alone, the  Congress is pushing his party for a wider alliance for the assembly polls, stressing that the idea is to defeat the BJP and thus all like-minded forces should come together.

A united opposition could spell trouble for the BJP. The party hopes that the opposition will ultimately fail to stitch up an alliance. This will allow the BJP to sweep Jammu, while seats in the Kashmir valley will be split. It is thus backing proxies in the valley, such as Sajjad Lone.

But sweeping Jammu is not so easy. Here, a resurgent Congress emboldened after its national performance in the Lok Sabha elections could give the BJP a run for its money. Jammu also has many districts with a high Muslim population, such as Rajouri, Poonch, and Ramban. This is why the NC and the PDP have been winning a few seats from here, while the BJP has never won a seat in the Valley.

A very polarised election is on the cards. All eyes are on the voters of the state, who have delivered fractured mandates in all the recent elections -2002, 2008, and 2014. Will they deliver a clear mandate this time, or will post-poll arrangements again define this election? Only time will tell.

(Amitabh Tiwari is a political strategist and commentator. In his earlier avatar, he was a corporate and investment banker.)

Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author

Srinagar:

The Election Commission of India has confirmed that it will visit Jammu and Kashmir next week to review preparations for elections. The move is being seen as an indication that the Assembly elections in the Union Territory will be held before the deadline of September 30 set by the Supreme Court.

The full commission, headed by Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar, will meet officials of the administration as well as representatives of political parties in Srinagar and Jammu during the visit, which will take place from August 8 to 10, it was announced on Friday. 

Sources said the commission is expected to announce the Assembly polls sometime after  August 15 to meet the September 30 deadline. 

In December last year, while delivering its verdict on Article 370, a five-judge Constitutional bench of the Supreme Court had directed the poll body to hold Assembly elections in the Union Territory by September 30. It had also asked the Centre to restore statehood at the earliest.

On Wednesday, the Commission had asked the Jammu and Kashmir administration to transfer officials posted in their home districts as well as those connected with the election process who will be completing a three-year tenure on or before September 30.

Similar directions had been given to the chief secretaries of Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand, where elections are due later this year.

Jammu and Kashmir has been without an elected government for over six years and the last Assembly elections were held in December 2014.

Next week, Jammu and Kashmir will also complete five years as a Union Territory. On August 5, 2019, the erstwhile state was bifurcated into two Union Territories and its special status under Article 370 was removed. Since then, Jammu and Kashmir has been administered by the lieutenant governor.

The Centre has also recently amended the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, giving sweeping powers to the lieutenant governor in the Union Territory. The amendments are in line with the Delhi Union Territory model, where the elected government has little authority over bureaucracy and many powers are vested in the Lieutenant Governor.

Opposition parties have reacted strongly to the Centre’s move and termed it “anti-democratic”. They allege that giving sweeping powers to the LG will make the elected government a rubber stamp.

During his visit to Srinagar in June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that Assembly elections would be held in Jammu and Kashmir soon, and statehood would also be restored.

New Delhi:

One soldier was killed in action and four others were injured during an encounter with terrorists along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district today.

The Army said a “Pakistani person” was also killed in the encounter and confirmed the injuries of two soldiers. 

Sources say it appears to be an attack by Pakistan’s Border Action Team (BAT)- who were involved in multiple attacks before ceasefire understating between India and Pakistan in February 2021.

“This an aggressive action and clearly an escalation along the LOC” said a senior officer. 

This comes a day after ‘Kargil Vijay Diwas’ when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave a stern warning to Pakistan and said that the Indian Army would defeat every terror challenge. 

In a statement on X, the Army said there was an exchange of fire with unidentified persons but didn’t name Pakistan army or terrorists.

“There has been exchange of fire with unidentified personnel on a forward post in Kamkari, Macchal Sector on the line of control. One Pakistani person has been killed while two of our soldiers have suffered injuries and have been evacuated. Operations are in progress.”

Firing in Macchal Sect

There has been exchange of fire with unidentified personnel on a forward post in Kamkari, Macchal Sector on the line of control. One Pakistani person has been killed while two of our soldiers have suffered injuries and have been evacuated.

Operations are… pic.twitter.com/DAOCpovrYT

— Chinar Corps – Indian Army (@ChinarcorpsIA) July 27, 2024

Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi earlier this week visited the LOC in the same area and reviewed preparedness of the forces to deal with infiltration and terrorist attacks.

Amid rising terror incidents, PM Modi last month chaired a review meeting to assess the situation in Jammu and Kashmir.

He spoke to Home Minister Amit Shah and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and was given a full overview of the security-related situation of the Union Territory and the counter-terrorism operations being undertaken by the armed forces.

He also spoke to Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha and was briefed on the efforts being undertaken by the local administration.

Prime Minister has asked the authorities to deploy the full spectrum of the armed forces’ counter-terror capabilities.

New Delhi:

The recent terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir show that terrorism has been forced to shrink to a proxy war from highly organised acts of violence, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said at a high-level meeting to take stock of the situation. The minister said the fight against terror in the Union Territory is in its decisive phase. 

In Sunday’s meeting at the North Block, which was attended by National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha and Army Chief Manoj Pande among others, Mr Shah also directed security agencies to replicate the successes achieved in Kashmir valley through the area domination and the Zero Terror Plan in the Jammu division as well. 

The recent attacks, in which nine pilgrims and a CRPF personnel were killed, had taken place in Jammu. 

Reiterating the zero-tolerance policy against terrorism, Mr Shah asserted that the PM Narendra Modi-led government will leave no stone unturned in rooting out terrorism from Jammu and Kashmir. The home minister directed security agencies to work in mission mode and ensure quick response in a coordinated manner while identifying vulnerable areas and addressing security concerns there.

Pointing out the changes that have come about in the Kashmir Valley, the minister said the efforts of the government of India have yielded positive results with a significant reduction in terror-related incidents and this is reflected in the record flow of tourists in the Kashmir Valley.

He also appreciated the role of the security agencies and the Jammu and Kashmir administration for the successful conduct of the Lok Sabha elections, which witnessed a record voter turnout in the Union Territory.

Officials said the home minister was given a thorough briefing on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir as well as the places where security forces plan to intensify counter-terrorism operations in the coming days.

Mr Shah’s meeting came three days after the Prime Minister held a similar stock-taking exercise and directed officials to deploy the “full spectrum of counter-terror capabilities”.

Terror Attacks

Terrorists struck four places in the Reasi, Kathua and Doda districts of Jammu and Kashmir in as many days last week, killing nine pilgrims headed to a temple as well as a CRPF personnel. Seven security personnel and several others were injured. Two suspected Pakistani terrorists were also killed in an encounter in Kathua.

On June 9, terrorists opened fire on a 53-seater bus carrying pilgrims when it was en route to the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Katra from the Shiv Khori temple. The bus, which had pilgrims from Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi, plunged into a gorge, killing nine people and injuring 41 others.

On June 11, terrorists fired at a joint checkpost of the Rashtriya Rifles and police at Chattergalla in Bhaderwah while a search party in the Gandoh area of Doda district was attacked the next day, resulting in injuries to seven security personnel, including a policeman.

Security For Amarnath Yatra 

In another meeting, the home minister reviewed the preparations for the annual Amarnath pilgrimage and said the government’s priority is to ensure the smooth conduct of the yatra so that pilgrims don’t face any difficulties. The yatra begins on June 29 and Mr Shah instructed to ensure sufficient deployment of personnel.

Under the leadership of PM Modi, the government is committed to ensure a convenient and hassle-free experience for devotees and adopt eco-friendly measures in management of the Amarnath pilgrimage.

Over 4.5 lakh devotees visited the cave shrine last year. The pilgrims travel through two routes, Baltal and Pahalgam, in Jammu and Kashmir. 

Srinagar:

The National Conference on Friday said it would not agree a seat-share deal with the Peoples Democratic Party ahead of the Lok Sabha election in Jammu and Kashmir, a development that comes as setback for the opposition INDIA bloc. NC leader Omar Abdullah’s swipe at the PDP underlined the rift between the two regional parties, each of which has declared it will contest the poll on its own.

“I have told you… the party that is No. 3 has no right to ask for a seat. If I had been told, before joining INDIA, we would have to weaken ourselves for another member, I would have never joined,” Mr Abdullah said.

This was after PDP boss Mehbooba Mufti said her party too is planning to fight this election on its own. She said the PDP would decide candidates for J&K’s five seats and the one in Ladakh.

READ | Another INDIA Setback As PDP Preps For “Own Fight” In Polls

“Since they (the National Conference) have already taken a decision… we will discuss it. There will be deliberations and a future course of action will be decided (soon),” the PDP’s Suhail Bukhari said.

That comment, in turn, was after one by Farooq Abdullah – Mr Abdullah’s father.

READ | Farooq Abdullah’s Party To Fight Alone In J&K In Setback For INDIA

“As far as seat sharing is concerned, I want to make it clear NC will contest elections on its own. There should be no questions on this…” he had said last month. Hours later Omar Abdullah attempted damage control, stating (with his father by his side) the NC “is still” part of INDIA.

READ | After Farooq Abdullah’s Comment On INDIA, Son Omar Clarifies

Farooq Abdullah’s comment was seen as the former Chief Minister expressing concern over the stalemate between his party, the PDP, and the Congress in reaching a seat-share agreement.

As this back-and-forth continued, Omar Abdullah also made it clear there was no scenario in which the National Conference would ally with the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance.

“Let me make it clear… there is no window, or even a crack, open for the NDA… there is no possibility of us joining them,” he said in response to speculation the NC would quit INDIA.

In the 2019 Lok Sabha election, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s BJP and Mr Abdullah’s NC split the six seats, with the former winning Ladakh, Udhampur, and Jammu, and the latter claiming Baramulla, Srinagar (where Mr Modi on Thursday held a massive rally), and Anantnag.

The PDP contested all six but failed to win any, and went home with an overall vote share of less than four per cent. The NC secured a vote share of just under eight per cent. The Congress, which also failed to win any seats, picked up around 28 per cent of the votes.

Talks for the 2024 election have reportedly stalled over the PDP’s demand for the Anantnag seat, which is currently held by the NC but was won by Ms Mufti in 2004 and 2014. It was also won by Ms Mufti’s father, ex-Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayeed, in 1998; he was then with the Congress.

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