Srinagar: From a single party rule in Jammu and Kashmir, after it merged with the Union of India in 1947 - barring few years in between, to a cut-throat competition in all the 87 Assembly constituencies, the political spectrum of the state has witnessed drastic changes. Though Jammu and Kashmir has been mostly governed by National Conference (NC) apart from President's Rule, since the creation of People's Democratic Party (PDP), the state has seen a coalition government in 2002 and 2008. The Congress shared power on both the occasions - with PDP in 2002 and NC in 2008.
However, with the BJP, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party national president Amit Shah, eyeing for seats in the Hindu majority areas of the state and Kashmiri Pandit vote bank in the Valley, it will be an uphill task for the Congress to maintain its importance in government formation in Jammu and Kashmir. Even though all major regional political parties in the state have rejected an alliance with the BJP, with many even alleging that the saffron party is trying to divide Jammu and Kashmir and should be kept away to preserve the fibre of the society, politicians tempt to go with the wind which is currently in favour of the BJP.
More than 10,000 polling booths, majority of them hyper sensitive and sensitive will be set up for over 75 lakh voters to elect their representatives in the state, where separatists have already started anti-poll campaign, particularly in Kashmir Valley.
Meanwhile, there would be no polls in 25 constituencies reserved for the people of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (POK). It was NC which ruled the state for majority years after the party started participating in the polls following Indira Gandhi-Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah accord in 1975. The NC formed the government with the support of the Congress members after Syed Mir Qasim stepped down to pave way for Sheikh Abdullah to become chief minister after he (Sheikh) joined the national mainstream abandoning the plebiscite demand.
Even though Maharaja Hari Singh in 1934 established the first legislature of Jammu and Kashmir (kingdom), however, it was considered undemocratic and unrepresentative as no political party was allowed to take part. The state was ruled by Sir Albion Banerjee from January, 1927 to March, 1929; GEC Wakefield from 1929 to 1933; Elliot James Dowell Colvin from 1933 to 1936. Sir Barjor J Dalal from1936 to July 1943, Kailas Narain Haksar from July 1943 to February 1944, Sir Benegal Narsing Rau from February 1944 to June 28, 1945, Ram Chandra Kak from June 28, 1945 to August 11, 1947 and Janak Singh from August 11, 1947 to October 15, 1947.
Mehr Chand Mahajan was the first Prime Minister of the state after partition from October 15, 1947 to March 5, 1948. However, Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah took over as Prime Minister of the state on March 5, 1948 after Mahajan of Indian National Congress stepped down. Polls were first held in Jammu and Kashmir in August-September 1951 and NC won all the 75 seats unopposed under the leadership of Sheikh Abdullah.
After Sheikh Abdullah took oath as the first elected Prime Minister, on October 31, 1951 he addressed the Assembly for the first time and called the House to frame the state's constitution and to give a reasoned conclusion regarding accession. However, he was removed as the PM and later jailed in 1953 for about 10 years. Meanwhile, senior NC leader Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad became the Prime Minister of the state on August 9, 1953 with the support of his party leaders who opposed Sheikh Abdullah.
After Sheikh Abdullah's arrest, the NC leaders loyal to him formed plebiscite front and did not participated in any Assembly and Parliament elections in the state till the Indira-Sheikh accord. In the first Assembly elections in 1962 after Sheikh Abdullah's arrest, the NC headed by Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad got thumping majority winning 70 seats. Meanwhile, Praja Parishid (PP) got three and the remaining two seats were won by independent candidates. For PP Shiv Charan got elected from Landar Tikri, Reshi Kumar Koushal from Reasi and Prem Nath from Jammu city north.
Two independents Abdul Gani Mir from Handwara and Ghulam Nabi Wani from Darhgam also won defeating NC and Indian National Congress (INC) candidates respectively. However, in 1963 Bakshi had to step down following disappearance of Holy Relic of Prophet Mohammad from Hazratbal Shrine, which evoked massive protests across the Valley. Later on October 12, 1963 Khawaja Shamasudin became the Prime Minister of Jammu and Kashmir.
Khawaja was also removed as the PM on February 29, 1964 and GM Sadiq became the new PM of the state after a majority of NC leaders, loyal to Bakshi, deserted the party and joined INC. Later in March 1965, the designation of Prime Minister was changed to chief minister by the INC and Sadiq become the first chief minister of the state. INC got an absolute majority in the state assembly under the leadership of Sadiq in 1967 by winning 61 seats. Bharatiya Jan Sangh (BJS) won three seats while NC of Bakshi Ghulam Mohammad got just eight seats and three independents were also elected.
For BJS R Nath won from Jammu South, Prem Nath Jammu North and Shiv Charan from Tikri constituency defeating INC candidates. After Sadiq died on December 12, 1971, Syed Mir Qasim became the chief minister of the state. Under the leadership of Qasim in 1972 Assembly polls, the INC got 58 seats, BJS got three and Jamait-e-Islami (JMI), including Syed Ali Shah Geelani, presently chairman of the hardliner Hurriyat Conference (HC), participating for the first time in the polls and won five seats while nine independents also got elected.
Qasim remained chief minister till February 25, 1975 when he stepped down to pave way for Sheikh Abdullah to become the chief minister following Indira-Sheikh accord. However, Congress withdrew support to Sheikh following which President's rule was imposed in the state from March 26, 1977 to July 9, 1977. Sheikh Abdullah became the chief minister after NC got thumping majority in the 1977 polls.
However, his son Dr Farooq Abdullah was sworn in as chief minister after the death of Sheikh Abdullah on September 8, 1982. But Farooq's government was toppled by his brother-in-law Ghulam Mohammad Shah with the help of Congress. Shah became chief minister of the state from July 2, 1984 to March 6, 1986.
After Congress withdrew support to Shah, President's rule was imposed in the state from March 6, 1986 till November 7, 1986 when fresh elections were held. Farooq again became chief minister till January 19, 1990 when he resigned following appointment of Jagmohan as the Governor of the state.
NC additional General Secretary and uncle of current Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Mustafa Kamal, in an interview alleged that Jagmohan was responsible for the migration of Kashmiri Pandiths from the Valley. Governor's rule continued till 1996 when fresh elections were held and Farooq again became the chief minister of the state after the NC got absolute majority on the promise to restore autonomy.
However, the autonomy resolution passed by both the Houses of the legislature was rejected by the NDA government at the centre. Surprisingly NC was a coalition partner of NDA and Omar was a minister of state in the Cabinet.
The state was again put under President's rules from October 18, 2002 to November 2, 2002 when fresh elections were held in Jammu and Kashmir.
Mufti Mohammad Sayed, who launched PDP, became the first non-NC chief minister of the state on November 2, 2002 with Congress support. The PDP agreed to rule the state for three years each in coalition. Later on November 5, 2005 Ghulam Nabi Azad became chief minister after Sayeed stepped down as per agreement. However, PDP withdrew the support to Azad government and President's rule was imposed on July 11, 2008 following state wide protests over Amarnath land row.
President's rule was imposed in the state on July 11, 2008 after resignation by Azad which continued till January 5, 2009 when Omar Abdullah became chief minister with the support of the Congress after no party got majority in 2008 polls. The NC emerged largest single party with 28 seats followed by PDP 21, Congress 17, Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) 11 and others 10, which included National Panthers Party (NPP), Communist Party of India (M), Democratic Party Natinalist (DPN) and Peoples Democratic Front (PDF).
(Abid Soffi is the Managing Editor, Kashmir Pioneer, Srinagar)
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