Winning Delhi for BJP meant winning the country’s capital, but winning Kashmir would mean winning the world and the country’s crown. BJP needs to win people not only through infrastructure but also through political representation. If they can work for the people even while being out of political power, imagine how much more impactful they could be if they were in power. Kashmiri people need good leaders within BJP who have strong social credibility. Today is the best time to launch BJP with full momentum.
Barik Hilal
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has won a historic Delhi election, the first in decades that the party has managed to form the government in the national capital. The win not only strengthened its grip on North India but also indicated a shift in the mood of the voters on the issues of accountability, governance, and development policies. The Delhi win is a lesson BJP can learn as it tries to spread its wings in Kashmir, a state where it has never found it easy to make an entry.
Kashmir has indirectly been governed by the central government, which has had a BJP-led government for decades. The LG Manoj Sinha era was the period of huge infrastructural and governance reforms, from highway widening to railway connectivity and the upgradation of the Srinagar-Banihal Road, reducing travel time significantly. The LG rule was much welcomed for its neutrality and efficiency, and the people were eagerly waiting for the same kind of political leadership. However, despite all this, BJP has not been able to get the mandate in Kashmir, unlike Jammu, where it continues to get a majority. Such a contrast is seriously challenging BJP’s strategy in Kashmir and the strategies it needs to implement in order to change the political scenario.
What Worked for BJP in Delhi?
The win in Delhi Assembly elections was not just a political victory but a demonstration of the party’s capacity to improve and adapt to popular aspirations. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), which initially marketed itself as the common man’s party, lost the people’s trust because of broken promises and failure in governance. Excessively lavish expenditure, like the notorious “Sheesh Mahal” mansion, was a contrast to their promise of austerity. Also, the excessive dependence on freebies led to a massive revenue loss, and crucial development projects like road infrastructure and public services were stalled. Corruption scandals also marred the party, and voters looked elsewhere to find an alternative that would provide stability and transparency.
By placing its policies in line with the aspirations of the people, BJP succeeded in offering an alternative that the people accepted. The party managed to bridge the governance deficit, offer pragmatic solutions, and render its manifesto promises achievable. The big lesson of this win is that good governance, backed by properly researched political strategy, can persuade even the most recalcitrant voter base. The next question then is: Can the same formula be used in Kashmir to establish a BJP government?
Why BJP is Struggling in Kashmir?
Even with being in power at the center and governing administrative rule in Kashmir through the LG, BJP has not been able to gain electoral mileage in the Valley. The main reason for this is the lack of connect between the party leadership and the ground reality of Kashmir. The politics of the region is extremely complex, necessitating a more nuanced approach rather than a uniform strategy.
One of the biggest problems BJP faces in Kashmir is the issue of perception. Most of the people perceive BJP as a party that promotes one religion against another, and this has generated a general lack of trust. The strong presence of BJP in Jammu, a state that is religiously dominant with a bias towards BJP, contrasts sharply with BJP’s failure to take off in Kashmir, where the people in general perceive BJP as anti-religious identity. This false perception needs to be actively removed through outreach programs, people-to-people contact, and a firm articulation of BJP’s secular ideology.
The other serious issue that is troubling BJP’s prospects in Kashmir is the lack of trustworthy leadership in the local organization of the party. The current BJP leadership in Kashmir is regularly accused of comprising individuals with tainted images—some of whom were charged with money scams, defaulting on loan, or availing BJP membership for personal gain rather than political service. Such an environment with these elements present has severely impacted the party’s credibility, leaving it short of confidence from the masses. Joining the ranks of former militants and Ikhwan members has also further isolated the voter base, and it is critical that BJP undertake a serious introspection and root out elements that serve to bring discredit to the party.
The Path Forward: Strategies for BJP in Kashmir
To realize the mandate in Kashmir, BJP needs to have a multi-pronged policy for the choice of candidates, grass-roots approach, and keeping governance promises. The first and most evident step is to choose strong candidates with a good image among the masses. In contrast to the earlier times when the candidates were chosen based on their proximity to the powers and not on their image among the masses, BJP needs to now choose those who have a good social image. Professional educated persons, writers, social activists, and professionals from other walks of life need to be identified and encouraged to contest the elections on the BJP ticket. This can be achieved by carrying out wide surveys and studies so that individuals with a good image among the people and are able to represent BJP’s vision effectively are identified.
In addition to this, the party should make sure that current members, even at the grassroots level, be subjected to rigorous verification to determine their credibility. Proper background checks for social credibility and political honesty should be a prerequisite for BJP members. Not only will this enhance the party’s image, but it will also restore the confidence of the people in its motives.
Mobilization drives need to be strengthened substantially. While other parties in Kashmir have poor mobilization, BJP’s mobilization efforts are weak and have minimal interaction with the people. The party needs to spend money on political awareness campaigns at regular intervals, town hall sessions, and grievance redressal meetings so that the gap in communication can be bridged. The success in Delhi was the party’s success in listening to people and providing practical solutions. The same formula should be applied in Kashmir.
The other crucial aspect that is being balanced is that of the political alignment of the governments. One of the reasons the BJP Delhi victory is so significant is that it places the capital and the center of government within the same political alignment, stopping power tussles and streamlining governance. Similarly, in Kashmir, a BJP government at the political level and BJP administration at the center would streamline governance and development would become more efficient.
Addressing the Developmental Aspirations of Kashmiris
One of the very few good things BJP rule has been widely accepted in Kashmir is infrastructure development under LG rule. High-priority projects like road improvement, railway connectivity, and highway upgradation have transformed the accessibility of the region. But the people now desire a political leadership that replicates the efficiency of LG’s rule. They desire an elected government to carry on the developmental work without political bias or bureaucratic red-tapism. BJP needs to keep governance above politics and ensure that its election campaign is issue-based and not rhetoric.
Secondly, the party must address the issues of economic opportunities. Kashmiri youth are increasingly disillusioned with unemployment and a lack of opportunities for development. BJP must provide real economic policies that emphasize skill building, entrepreneurship, and investment in areas of priority like tourism, agriculture, and technology. A separate manifesto with a vision of economic revival in Kashmir can prove to be a game-changer to win over voter confidence.
Building a Stronger BJP in Kashmir
In order to construct a robust political agenda in Kashmir, BJP must re-strategize from the ground up. It must ally with genuine organizations with these organizations, BJP can conduct research-based surveys to understand the aspirations of the voters, choose the right candidates, and conduct a data-driven election campaign.
In addition, ideological clarity is also needed. BJP needs to take affirmative actions to shake off the perception of being a religiously biased party. This entails ongoing interaction with various communities, being inclusive, and demonstrating BJP’s adherence to secular rule. The party’s success in multicultural states needs to be carried forward as examples of the party’s capability to rule without bias.
Winning Delhi for BJP meant winning the country’s capital, but winning Kashmir would mean winning the world and the country’s crown. BJP needs to win people not only through infrastructure but also through political representation. If they can work for the people even while being out of political power, imagine how much more impactful they could be if they were in power. Kashmiri people need good leaders within BJP who have strong social credibility. Today is the best time to launch BJP with full momentum.
With nearly four and half years to go for the next assembly elections, BJP has time on its hand to re-strategize its Kashmir approach. With the right choice of candidates, strengthening grass root connect, and establishing a record of governance that dwarfs political slogans, BJP can present itself as a viable option in the Valley. It is an uphill task, perhaps, but if managed properly, securing a mandate in Kashmir is not beyond reach.
