Will the dream of a Hindu Chief Minister in J&K finally come true?

The Election Commission of India has announced that the Jammu & Kashmir Assembly elections will be held on October 4th, marking the first elections in the state since the abrogation of Article 370 five years ago. This election is historic as it could potentially change the political landscape of J&K, where a Muslim has always held the position of Chief Minister, predominantly from the National Conference (NC) or Congress party.

The first Muslim Chief Minister of J&K, Gulam Mohammad Sadik, took office in 1965 after the post of Sadar-E-Riyasat was abolished. Now, with Article 370 revoked in 2019, J&K and Ladakh were restructured as Union Territories, and the upcoming elections have sparked widespread discussion about whether the region will see its first Hindu Chief Minister.

The possibility of a Hindu Chief Minister has been a topic of interest, particularly since the 2008 Amarnath Bhoomi Andolan, which resulted in the resignation of then-Chief Minister Gulam Nabi Azad. The BJP, now in power at the center, has historically supported the idea of a Hindu Chief Minister for the region. Geographically, Jammu, with its 43 seats, is larger than Kashmir, which has 47 seats. The BJP is hopeful of securing more than 50 seats in the upcoming election, raising the likelihood that either Dr. Jitendra Singh or Ravinder Raina could be the next Chief Minister. Dr. Jitendra Singh, with his decade-long experience in the BJP government, is considered a strong contender.

While the BJP is focusing on development (Vikas) as its main agenda, the political scene remains uncertain. Dr. Farooq Abdullah is expected to be the senior leader contesting from Kashmir, as his son, former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, has opted out of the race. The final outcome will be clear only after the elections.

In J&K’s history, the state saw its first and only female Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, in 2016, who led a coalition government with the BJP until 2018 when the BJP withdrew its support. Despite Hindus making up approximately 30% of the population in J&K, no Hindu has ever held the Chief Minister’s post. However, with Muslim leaders holding CM positions in Hindu-majority states like Bihar, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Rajasthan, many are questioning why the same cannot happen in J&K.

The upcoming elections could be a turning point in J&K’s political history, potentially fulfilling the long-held dream of a Hindu Chief Minister in the region.