Healthy contests

Despite all its imperfections, democracy is a beautiful way of governing people. The beauty touches its zenith on the verdict day— the day when people's votes approve or discard government policies and actions, not in words, but through decisive franchise.

Of all, the Jammu & Kashmir election was most awaited. In August 2019, the state saw its political structure and organisation turn upside down in a single blow. Everything that has happened in the region since then has occurred in the shadow of that one sweeping move. The people's verdict in Jammu & Kashmir is being seen as people's wish to return the region to normalcy. The National Conference (NC) led by Omar Abdullah emerged victorious, securing 42 seats, while its ally, the Congress, added six more, surpassing the majority mark of 45. This decisive win marks a return to prominence for the NC, a party that had faced multiple efforts by political rivals to erode its influence in the region. Back in 2019, the regional parties of J&K, including National Conference and Mehbooba Mufti's PDP were wiped out from the political scene not through people's verdict but by the discretion of the ruling party at the Centre.