J&K’s clear verdict

JAMMU and Kashmir has spoken, and in no uncertain terms. The decisive victory of the National Conference-Congress alliance marks a new beginning for the five-year-old Union Territory. Getting a chance to have their say in the Assembly elections after 10 years, the voters have chosen stability over a fractured mandate. The prospects of detested political manipulations in case of a hung House have been rejected. A clear majority also puts paid to the controversy over the nomination of five legislators — who have voting rights — by the Lieutenant-Governor. Now begins the real test for the winning alliance and the Centre — how to negotiate the handover and exercise of power. Equally important is building trust, and the onus for it is on these two entities. A confrontational start would amount to sheer disrespect of the people’s verdict.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the residue of past events informs the present to a great extent. The trauma of violence, the regional divide, the communal tensions, the perceived sense of injustice and a heightened notion of victimhood — it’s been tough going for the erstwhile state. After a long time, the spectre of poll boycott and contempt for the electoral process has been lifted. Voters’ enthusiastic participation in the election campaign lends hope. The new government, thus, has the added responsibility of grasping the message sent by the electorate — shift the focus from political wrangling to what the people really want, improve their lives and give them the agency they deserve.

The NC-Congress alliance is not new to holding the reins of power, but it must recognise the altered reality. There is no room for a repetition of mistakes. The restoration of statehood may be a legitimate demand, but it must to look beyond the rhetoric and work for social cohesion and economic prosperity.