Congress to take part in J&K polls

The Congress on Wednesday announced that it will participate in the upcoming municipal and panchayat elections in Jammu and Kashmir, reversing an earlier assessment that the prevailing situation was not conducive to holding the polls.

Jammu and Kashmir Congress President G.A. Mir said the party had decided to contest the elections with the objective of keeping what he described as “communal forces” away from the electoral process.

Addressing the media in Srinagar, Mir said the Congress would take part in the local body elections despite the challenges surrounding the political and security situation in the state.

The decision assumes significance as several major political parties in Jammu and Kashmir have chosen to stay away from the elections. The National Conference (NC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have announced that they will boycott the polls. The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) has also decided not to participate.

The Congress had earlier expressed reservations about holding elections under the prevailing circumstances. However, its latest decision means that the party will now enter the electoral contest while some of the region's prominent political forces remain outside it.

Municipal elections for the Srinagar and Jammu municipal corporations, along with 77 municipal committees, are scheduled to be held in October. Panchayat elections across Jammu and Kashmir are expected to take place in November and December.

The local body polls are significant as they are aimed at strengthening grassroots-level democratic institutions in the state. The participation of the Congress is also expected to make the electoral contest more competitive in areas where other major parties have opted for a boycott.

With the NC and PDP staying away, the elections could also reshape the political dynamics at the local level and provide smaller parties and independent candidates with greater space to contest for municipal and panchayat positions.