The PDP and NC are endorsing the separatists’ narrative in J&K

This boycott of the local polls seems to endorse the separatists’ narrative that all electoral processes in the state are illegal and against the wishes of the people. With this boycott, the PDP and the NC will only further marginalise themselves and become poor imitations of the separatists.

The Centre’s careful groundwork aimed at kickstarting the democratic peace process in Jammu and Kashmir seems to have unravelled at an alarming pace. The two main parties of the state, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the National Conference (NC), have now said that they will not participate in the coming urban bodies and panchayat polls. This comes at an extremely troubled time in the state, which has witnessed a new trend of targeted violence against the police as well as a major administrative reshuffle.

Jammu and Kashmir National Conference president Farooq Abdullah addresses an all-party condolence meeting organised for former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, New Delhi, August 20, 2018 (PTI)

The Centre had hoped to get the political process moving with its appointment of the new Governor, SP Malik, the first politician to hold the post in 50 years. Mr Malik was to begin the regeneration of democracy at the grassroots level, but is now left with no one to engage with. The National Democratic Alliance government was clearly hoping to move forward from the fractious environment created after the bitter split between the BJP and the PDP, the absence of the major parties renders the panchayat polls infructuous. The latest round of angst has centred on Article 35A, which states that outsiders cannot own immovable property in Kashmir. This Article is now being challenged in the court. The boycott of the local polls seems to endorse the separatists’ narrative that all electoral processes in the state are illegal and against the wishes of the people. With this boycott, the PDP and the NC will only further marginalise themselves.