Former Separatists Embrace Mainstream Politics in Kashmir, Enter Electoral Arena
Srinagar, September 4, 2024: In a significant political shift, several former separatists and their family members in Kashmir are joining mainstream political parties and contesting elections. This marks a notable transformation in the region’s political landscape, particularly as members of the banned Jamaat-e-Islami are now fielding candidates as independents from multiple constituencies. This is the first instance of Jamaat members contesting elections since 1987, signaling a potential “ideological shift” in Jammu and Kashmir’s politics.One of the most prominent figures to make this move is Syed Saleem Gilani, who recently joined the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) led by Mehbooba Mufti. Gilani, a former key leader of the moderate Hurriyat Conference under Mirwaiz Omar Farooq, had a long association with the group. He previously headed the Jammu and Kashmir National People’s Party and was an interlocutor for Hurriyat in talks with Kashmiri Pandits in 2005. Gilani stated that the PDP’s commitment to resolving the Kashmir issue and advocating for the release of detainees aligns with his own beliefs.Last week, Aga Syed Muntazir, the son of Aga Syed Hassan Al Moosvi, president of the Anjuman Sharie Shian and a constituent of the Hurriyat Conference, also joined the PDP. Muntazir has been fielded as a candidate from the Budgam constituency, where he aims to raise concerns about the region’s marginalized youth.Other prominent separatists joining mainstream politics include Ghulam Nabi Shaheen, a senior functionary of the High Court Bar Association, who is now campaigning for Engineer Rashid’s Awami Ittehad Party (AIP), and Javaid Hubi, son of former separatist Dr. Ghulam Mohammad Hubi. Additionally, Altaf Ahmad Bhat, brother of jailed separatist leader Peer Saifullah, has been fielded as an AIP candidate from the Rajpora constituency in Pulwama.The son of Jamaat-e-Islami’s former general secretary, Ghulam Qadir Lone, is also contesting the elections from the Langate constituency in north Kashmir. Despite the Jamaat’s history of being a banned organization, at least four of its former members are running as independent candidates.Mainstream political parties in Kashmir, including the PDP and AIP, have welcomed this change, viewing it as an opportunity for greater dialogue and inclusion in the region’s electoral process. The coming elections are likely to test the political dynamics in the region, with these new entrants adding a fresh dimension to the political narrative in Jammu and Kashmir.
