Srinagar: Post abrogation of article 370, political activities by the mainstream parties remained a low-key affair until October 2021. Last year, the political activities of major parties remained confined to indoor meetings and daily statements on governance or the controversial decisions taken by the centre on Jammu and Kashmir.
Political activities paced up in the state from October when National Conference, Peoples Democratic Party, Congress began holding rallies and meeting with their workers across Jammu and Kashmir.
The ice began to break in early September when the former chief minister and PDP president Mehbooba Mufti toured Chenab and Pir Panjal regions in Jammu province. Her rallies were followed by Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad who held dozens of rallies in the Jammu region parallel to the functions held by Pradesh Congress Committee president Ghulam Muhammad Mir.
Inspired by the big gatherings at these rallies and trying to regain the ground, National Conference took the plunge and conducted some public meetings.
Mehbooba Mufti toured the Jammu region and during her public interactions, she criticized the BJP government for abrogating the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and urged people to carry on the struggle for its restoration.
Ghulam Nabi Azad and Omar Abdullah also kept their conversations revolving around Article 370. Their speeches at times stoked controversies while subtly criticizing the Centre and Mehbooba Mufti.
However, Azad's rallies expose a wedge in Congress unit in Jammu and Kashmir as 20 leaders loyal to him submitted their resignation from their posts to Sonia and Rahul Gandhi.
National Conference received a big jolt in the Jammu region when its provincial president Davinder Singh Rana, a close confidante of Omar Abdullah along with another senior leader S. S. Slathia joined BJP.
Though political parties smoothly carried their activities, it was PDP who complained that the administration was not allowing them free movement.
"The administration several times stopped our programs but we continued to make public aware about lack of governance and about taking away Article 370 and related issues. We will continue our struggle despite restrictions and curbs," said PDP General Secretary Ghulam Nabi Lone told ETV Bharat.
"Political parties and their activities will help in the restoration of governance and order in Jammu and Kashmir," said National Conference spokesman Imran Nabi said.
